Punjab Voter Roll Revision: 20 Lakh Forms Pending, Draft Electoral Roll to Be Released on August 13

Punjab's voter verification drive has moved into its next phase after the completion of the initial enumeration process. As the state prepares for the upcoming Assembly elections, the Election Commission has asked eligible voters to complete the remaining formalities to ensure their names appear correctly in the electoral roll.

Although most voters have already submitted their verification forms, nearly 20 lakh forms are still pending. The Election Commission will publish the draft voter list on August 13, giving citizens an opportunity to check their details and request corrections before the final electoral roll is released.

More Than 90% of Enumeration Forms Submitted

Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra said Booth Level Officers (BLOs) distributed around 2.61 crore enumeration forms across the state during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

According to the Election Commission, approximately 2.41 crore completed forms have been received so far. This represents a response rate of 90.37%. However, around 20 lakh voters are yet to submit their forms.

Verification Reveals Duplicate and Unmapped Records

The verification process also identified several issues that will now be examined before the final voter list is prepared.

Officials found around 1.19 lakh duplicate voter records, while nearly 5.74 lakh registered voters were reported deceased. In addition, 4.12 lakh voters could not be traced, and nearly 12 lakh voter records remain unmapped during the ongoing verification exercise.

The Election Commission has also invited eligible citizens who are not yet registered to apply for inclusion by submitting Form 6.

Draft Electoral Roll to Be Published on August 13

The draft electoral roll will be released on August 13 and shared with all recognised political parties through the Chief Electoral Officer's office.

After its publication, voters will have nearly one month to verify their details. During this period, they can submit claims, request corrections, or file objections if they find any errors in the draft list.

Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) will examine every application before preparing the final electoral roll.

Booth-Level Camps Planned for August 16

To make the verification process easier, the Election Commission will organise special booth-level camps across Punjab on August 16.

These camps will help voters who cannot visit election offices to complete pending formalities. The Commission will also run awareness campaigns through its official website to guide citizens through the verification process.

Election Commission Reassures Unmapped Voters

Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra urged unmapped voters not to panic. She clarified that their names would not be removed immediately from the electoral roll.

Instead, voters should submit the available documents so officials can verify their records. The Election Commission said every genuine voter would be given an opportunity to complete the verification process before the final electoral roll is published.

Verification Possible Even Without Documents

The Election Commission also clarified that the absence of documents does not automatically result in the removal of a voter's name.

If a voter cannot provide the required documents, the concerned Electoral Registration Officer will issue a notice and carry out further verification. If officials successfully confirm the person's identity and eligibility through the prescribed procedure, the voter's name can still remain on the electoral roll.

The Commission said its primary objective is to ensure that every eligible citizen receives the opportunity to vote while maintaining an accurate and updated electoral database.