SIR 2025 digitisation progress shows Goa leading with 76.89%, while Kerala lags at 23%. Get detailed updates on voter forms, draft electoral roll, and ECI initiatives for government exam preparation.
Goa Leads Digitisation Drive in Election Commission of India’s SIR 2025; Some States Lag Behind
Current Progress in SIR 2025
The second phase of the Special Intensive Revision 2025 (SIR 2025) of electoral rolls — initiated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on November 4, 2025 — aims to update and verify voter data across 12 States and Union Territories. As of November 24, 2025, the ECI reports that 99.07% of Enumeration Forms (EFs) have been distributed to eligible voters nationwide, covering more than 50.50 crore electors.
However, only 47.35% of these collected forms — roughly 24.13 crore — have been digitised so far, underscoring a significant lag in the digitisation process compared to distribution.
State-wise Digitisation: Who’s Ahead and Who’s Behind
- Goa leads the country with a digitisation rate of 76.89%, the highest among all participating states and UTs.
- Rajasthan ranks second with 72.20% digitisation.
- On the flip side, Kerala records one of the lowest digitisation levels at around 23%, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 26.6%
Other states and UTs — including Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep — are also part of the revision exercise.
Challenges on the Ground: Why Digitisation Is Lagging
The SIR exercise is being carried out by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) — educators, clerks, Anganwadi workers and other field-staff entrusted with visiting households, distributing forms, collecting them back, and then uploading data to a central system.
However, several issues have slowed down digitisation:
- Technical glitches: Frequent app-crashes during photo uploads have caused delays.
- Work overload and fatigue: Many BLOs — especially older ones or those unfamiliar with digital tools — are struggling with the volume of work. Some states have reported protests or even fatalities linked to work stress.
- Lack of adequate support: In some regions, insufficient support staff (for example, fewer Booth Level Agents) and poor supervisory monitoring have hampered the process.
As a result, while enumeration (form distribution) has nearly achieved full coverage, digitisation remains a bottleneck in many states.
What’s Next: Draft Voter List & Public Verification
Following the completion of the enumeration and digitisation phases, the ECI will publish the draft electoral roll on 9 December 2025. This will be followed by a window for public scrutiny — allowing voters to raise claims or objections.
The successful digitisation of electoral data is expected to enhance the accuracy and integrity of voter records, reduce duplications or outdated entries, and streamline future electoral processes across India.
Why This News Is Important
Strengthening Electoral Integrity
The ongoing SIR 2025 — and the associated digitisation effort — plays a critical role in ensuring that India’s electoral rolls are accurate, up-to-date and reflective of actual eligible voters. For students preparing for civil services, banking, railways, defence or policing exams, knowledge of such institutional reforms is essential: it reflects how governance, administration and electoral accountability evolve in modern India.
Digitisation helps in eliminating duplicate or ghost entries, outdated records (migrated voters, deceased persons, etc.), and ensures a clean voter base. This builds confidence in the electoral system and makes future elections more transparent — a significant aspect for exam-level general awareness, especially in polity and governance sections.
Indicator of State-wise Administrative Effectiveness
The varying progress across states — with Goa and Rajasthan leading, while Kerala and Uttar Pradesh lag — also signals differences in ground-level administrative readiness and technological adoption. Such disparities are often studied in UPSC/PSC exam questions where comparisons of state-level performance, decentralisation, and governance efficiencies are crucial.
Moreover, the challenges faced by BLOs — from technical glitches to work overload — highlight the ground realities of policy implementation. Understanding these helps aspirants appreciate the complexities behind seemingly simple administrative tasks.
Historical Context
The Tradition of Electoral Roll Revision
Periodic revision of electoral rolls has been a long-standing exercise in India since ahead of every major election, to account for demographic changes — births, deaths, migration, etc. Traditionally, this involved manual enumeration, paper-based forms, and physical record-keeping, which left room for errors, duplicates, and outdated entries.
With increasing electorate size and greater mobility of citizens, the need for digitisation became more pronounced. Over recent decades, the Election Commission of India gradually phased in digital processes: computerized voter registration, Aadhaar-linked voter verification, voter-ID download portals, and periodic summary revisions.
Shift Towards Digital Census of Voters
In recent years, India has transitioned from manual rolls to digital — enabling efficient data management, easier verification, and automated cross-checks. The present SIR 2025 is part of this broader push. Digitisation helps in maintaining a dynamic, accurate electoral database that supports large-scale elections, by-elections, and ensures eligibility checks in a timely manner.
Moreover, previous phases of roll revision have often resulted in litigation, voter-list disputes, and concerns over exclusion or duplication. Digitisation — if implemented properly — aims to minimise such issues, strengthen democratic participation, and uphold integrity.
Key Takeaways from This News
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2025?
The Special Intensive Revision 2025 (SIR 2025) is an initiative by the Election Commission of India to update and verify the electoral rolls across 12 states and union territories. It ensures accurate voter data for upcoming elections.
2. When did the second phase of SIR 2025 begin?
The second phase of SIR 2025 began on 4th November 2025 and involves distribution, collection, and digitisation of Enumeration Forms (EFs).
3. Which state is leading in digitisation of SIR 2025 forms?
Goa is currently leading with a digitisation rate of 76.89%, followed by Rajasthan at 72.20%.
4. Which states are lagging in the digitisation process?
Kerala (~23%) and Uttar Pradesh (26.6%) have reported the lowest digitisation levels due to administrative and technical challenges.
5. How many Enumeration Forms have been distributed so far?
As of 24 November 2025, 99.07% of the forms have been distributed, covering over 50.50 crore electors across 12 states and UTs.
6. What are the main challenges in digitising SIR forms?
Challenges include technical glitches in the digital application, work overload for Booth Level Officers (BLOs), lack of sufficient support staff, and occasional protests or health issues among workers.
7. When will the draft electoral roll be published?
The draft electoral roll is scheduled for publication on 9th December 2025, after which citizens can file claims or objections.
8. Who are responsible for collecting and digitising the forms?
Booth Level Officers (BLOs), including school teachers, clerks, and Anganwadi workers, are responsible for distributing, collecting, and digitising the forms.
9. Why is digitisation of voter forms important?
Digitisation ensures accurate, updated, and duplicate-free voter records, strengthening electoral integrity and transparency.
10. How can this news be useful for government exam preparation?
This news highlights governance, administrative efficiency, and electoral reforms, which are often asked in civil service, banking, railways, defence, and police exams under polity and current affairs sections.
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