SHILLONG, June 24: As the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls gains momentum in Meghalaya, the Election Commission has laid down clear and detailed voters’ eligibility criteria, drawing reference to the rigorous standards followed during the last major intensive revision of rolls in 2005.
The 2005 electoral roll serves as the definitive “legacy roll” and “verification baseline” for the SIR. Since the last nationwide intensive revision in Meghalaya occurred in 2005, this specific roll functions as the anchor to weed out illegal immigrants, resolve duplicate entries, and purify the voter system.
Voters whose names are already listed in the 2005 electoral roll do not need to provide identity proofs. They only need to submit a relevant extract of the 2005 voter list alongside their standard enumeration form.
In addition, every person who is a citizen of India, not less than 18 years of age on the qualifying date of October 1, 2026, and not otherwise disqualified under any law is entitled to be registered in the electoral roll. Applicants must furnish satisfactory proof of Indian citizenship, with Booth Level Officers conducting thorough verification during house-to-house enumeration.
Age of the applicant must be established through reliable records such as birth certificates, school leaving certificates, passports or Aadhaar cards bearing verified dates of birth. Ordinary residence in the constituency remains a key requirement, supported by documents like Aadhaar, ration cards, bank passbooks or utility bills.
In line with the 2005 exercise, special attention is being given in Meghalaya’s tribal areas to family linkages and lineage documents to prevent bogus entries while safeguarding legitimate voters.
Disqualifications apply to persons declared of unsound mind by a competent court, those serving sentences of imprisonment without bail, or individuals barred under laws relating to corrupt practices and election offences. Electors whose names figured in the 2005 electoral rolls are being linked with simplified verification, while new or unlinked voters require additional document proof.
Meanwhile, Election Commissioner of India Dr. Vivek Joshi on Wednesday reviewed the preparedness for the SIR during a visit to the state. He inspected several polling stations in Nongpoh and Shillong, interacted with election officials, and assessed the readiness of field-level machinery.
The SIR in Meghalaya commenced on June 20 with a preparatory training phase till June 29 followed by intensive house-to-house verification by Booth Level Officers from June 30 to July 29. The draft electoral roll will be published on August 5, and the final revised roll on October 7, 2026.
Officials have appealed to all eligible citizens to extend full cooperation to Booth Level Officers by providing necessary documents during the enumeration phase. A period for filing claims and objections will follow the draft publication, allowing corrections to the voter list.
This exercise is expected to create a clean and accurate electoral roll for upcoming polls in the state.
