The Election Commission has issued several important guidelines for the general public regarding the publication of the 2026 voter list (SIR 2026) and the subsequent hearing process. After the draft voter list was published, many questions have arisen in people’s minds: what to do if your name is not on the list, who will receive hearing notices, and what to do if you cannot be present on the hearing day?
This report discusses in detail the answers to these questions and the necessary steps to take, according to the Election Commission’s guidelines.
What to do if your name is not on the draft list
If, after checking the draft voter list, you find that your name is not there, there is no need to panic. According to the Election Commission’s rules, you must take specific steps immediately in this situation.
Those whose names are not found in the draft list must correctly fill out and submit ‘Annexure 4’ of ‘Form 6’. This is extremely important for new name registration.
Hearing Process: Who will be called and how?
Hearings related to the voter list are scheduled to begin from December 17th. To dispel public confusion regarding this hearing process, the Commission has clearly stated:
Who will be called: Voters will primarily be called for hearings in three cases:
1. Those whose information from 2002 does not match or map with the information from 2025.
2. Those who failed to fill out the 2002 section at the bottom of the enumeration form.
3. Those whose submitted information contains errors or inconsistencies.
Notice delivery method: Many are concerned about how they will receive the notice for the hearing. The Commission has stated that no one will be called via phone or SMS. BLOs (Booth Level Officers) will deliver the hearing notices directly to the homes of the concerned individuals.
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Name Removal and Information Correction
During the voter list verification or scrutiny process, some names may be removed. The reasons for name removal and how to correct errors are mentioned below:
Subject Description
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Reasons for Name Removal | Names of those who have died, those who did not submit the form on time, and those identified as duplicate voters by the Election Commission will be removed from the draft list. |
| Information Correction | If there are errors in name, address, or any other information in the voter list, Form 8 must be filled out and submitted for correction. |
Changing the Hearing Date and Special Arrangements
The Commission provides alternative options in the event that you cannot attend the proceedings at the time of the hearing for reasons including being unwell or similar reasons.
Postponement of the Hearing: If you are unable to attend the hearing on the date that has been provided to you because you have a reasonable and compelling justification as to why you cannot attend, you may submit a request through your ERO to have a new date for your hearing.
Web-based Hearing: In instances whereby someone is gravely ill or cannot go in person, the Commission will consider requests for web-based hearings provided there is an acceptable rationale for such a request.
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Hearing Results and Next Steps
After the hearing concludes, the ERO’s decision will be communicated to the concerned person via post. Additionally, the result will also be sent via SMS to the mobile number provided in the enumeration form. Remember one extremely important point: if your name is not on the draft list and you do not receive any notice of a hearing, do not sit idly by. Even in that case, you must fill out ‘Annexure 4’ of ‘Form 6’ and initiate the process of applying to have your name included in the voter list.