Every five years, over 97 crore Indians walk to more than 10 lakh polling stations to press a button that decides the country’s future. Behind this massive exercise stands one invisible yet unbreakable pillar — the Electoral Roll, officially called the Electoral Registration Roll or simply the Voter List.
Managed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, this living document is updated 365 days a year and forms the foundation of free and fair elections. Here is a complete, easy-to-understand guide on what the voter roll is, how names are added, deleted or corrected, and why keeping it clean matters to every Indian citizen in 2025.
What Exactly is the Electoral Roll?
The electoral roll is the official list of all eligible voters in each of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies and thousands of Assembly constituencies.
- It is prepared constituency-wise and polling booth-wise.
- Each state has its own Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), but the final roll is controlled by the Election Commission of India.
- As per the latest published Final Roll on 27 January 2025 (for Special Summary Revision 2025), India now has 97.77 crore registered electors — the largest electorate on the planet.
Break-up (2025 Final Roll):
| Category | Numbers (in crore) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Total electors | 97.77 | 100% |
| Male | 50.22 | 51.4% |
| Female | 47.46 | 48.5% |
| Third Gender | 0.048 lakh (~48,000) | 0.05% |
| Young voters (18–19 years) | 1.86 crore | |
| 85+ years & centenarians | 2.17 crore | |
| Persons with Disabilities | 1.06 crore | |
| Service voters (Armed Forces, etc.) | 18.41 lakh |
Who is Eligible to be on the Voter List?
You are eligible if you are:
- A citizen of India
- 18 years or above on the qualifying date (1 January, 1 April, 1 July, or 1 October of the year, depending on the revision cycle)
- Ordinarily resident of the constituency
- Not declared “of unsound mind” by a competent court or disqualified under law
How Does a Name Get Added to the Voter List? (Form 6 and Advance Application)
- Form 6 – For new registration
- 18–21-year-olds can now apply in advance any time — their name is automatically added the moment they turn 18 on any of the four qualifying dates in 2025.
- You can apply online at voters.eci.gov.in or the Voter Helpline app.
- Documents required (any one):
- Aadhaar (voluntary – ECI cannot insist)
- Birth certificate, passport, driving licence, PAN card, 10th marksheet, etc.
- Proof of residence: Bank passbook, electricity bill, ration card, etc.
- Verification: Booth Level Officer (BLO) visits your house. If everything is correct, your name appears in the next draft roll.
How to Change Address, Name, Photo or Other Details?
- Form 8 – For correction or transposition (moving within or outside the constituency)
- Example: A girl gets married and moves from Delhi to Bengaluru — she files Form 8 online and gets enrolled in her new constituency without losing her old vote.
How Names Get Deleted (and Why It Matters)
Names are removed only for valid reasons:
- Death (reported via Form 7 by family or BLO)
- Shifting of residence (after verification)
- Duplicate entry
- Disqualification (rare)
The ECI runs a rigorous purification drive every year. In the 2025 SSR alone, 2.41 crore dead, shifted, and duplicate entries were deleted after door-to-door verification.
Four Types of Annual Revision (2025 Schedule)
- Special Summary Revision (SSR) – Full revision (January–February every year)
Final roll published: 27 January 2025 - Continuous Updation – Names can be added/deleted throughout the year except from last date of nomination to completion of election
- Pre-election Summary Revision – Before every Assembly or Lok Sabha election
- Intensive Revision – Door-to-door verification (rarely done now)
How to Check Your Name in the Voter List (2025 Methods)
- Official website: voters.eci.gov.in → “Search Your Name”
- Voter Helpline App (Android & iOS)
- Call 1950 (toll-free Voter Helpline)
- SMS: Type EPIC Your Voter ID number → send to 9211728082 or state-specific numbers
- Visit your Booth Level Officer (BLO) – every polling booth has one teacher/government employee as BLO.
Voter ID Card (EPIC) vs Voter List
- Having a Voter ID card does NOT guarantee your name is still in the current roll.
- Always check the latest PDF voter list of your polling booth (available on CEO website of every state).
Key Achievements of ECI’s Voter Roll Management (2025)
- Gender ratio improved from 926 (2020) to 948 women per 1,000 men (2025)
- 100% photo coverage in electoral rolls
- 99.9% EPIC coverage
- Linking of Voter ID with Aadhaar (voluntary) helped remove 5.21 crore duplicate/shifted entries since 2022
- Introduction of 12-digit alphanumeric Voter ID numbers (new format started 2021)
- Digital Voter ID (e-EPIC) downloadable as PDF
Why a Clean Voter List Matters to You
A single bogus voter can cancel out your genuine vote.
A single missing genuine voter can stop you from voting.
That is why the Supreme Court has repeatedly said: “Purity of electoral roll is the foundation of free and fair elections.”
Quick Checklist for Every Indian Citizen (2025)
- Check your name in the latest voter list (January 2025 roll)
- If you turned 18 after 1 Jan 2025, apply now — you’ll be added on the next qualifying date
- Update your address immediately after moving
- Download e-EPIC from voters.eci.gov.in
- Help elderly parents/neighbours register
Also read:National Testing Agency (NTA): Role, Recent Issues and What Indian Students Should Know
Last Updated on: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 7:50 pm by Sakethyadav | Published by: Sakethyadav on Wednesday, November 19, 2025 7:50 pm | News Categories: News
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