The Election Commission of India’s (ECI) annual Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls has remained stalled since January 2024, disrupting the decades-old process of updating voter lists and enrolling newly eligible citizens. The delay has particularly affected Gen Z voters--young Indians turning 18 and becoming eligible to vote for the first time, reports said.
The annual SSR traditionally provides a scheduled mechanism for eligible citizens to register and ensures that electoral rolls are updated before elections. However, the ECI has missed its customary May-June window for announcing the 2026-27 revision, raising concerns that thousands of first-time voters could remain outside the electoral system when the next rolls are finalised.
Reports attribute the prolonged delay partly to differences within the three-member Election Commission. Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi have reportedly favoured resuming the annual SSR, while Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has sought legal clarity on the process.
The impasse intensified after the ECI launched a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar in 2025. The exercise subsequently became a major focus of the Commission’s electoral-roll work, further disrupting the routine SSR cycle.
The reported differences come amid wider disagreements within the poll panel. An Indian Express investigation found that Sandhu and Joshi had formally recorded objections at least 14 times over decisions they said were taken without their knowledge or consent.
