A major revision of Odisha’s electoral roll has resulted in the deletion of nearly 2.014 million (20.14 lakh) voter names following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The large-scale revision has sparked a political controversy, with opposition parties questioning the exercise, while the ruling BJP has defended the process.

According to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha, the draft electoral roll has been prepared and shared with political parties. Before the revision, Odisha had 33,399,591 (3.33 crore) registered voters. Of these, 31,387,034 (3.13 crore) voters submitted the required forms during the SIR process.

The CEO’s office said that of the 20.14 lakh names removed, around 8.32 lakh belonged to deceased or “ghost” voters. Another 10.07 lakh names were deleted because the voters had either shifted residence or could not be traced.

Additionally, 1.58 lakh names were removed due to multiple registrations, while around 14,000 names were deleted for other administrative reasons.

The extensive revision has triggered sharp political reactions. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) alleged that the deletion exercise lacked transparency and claimed that details regarding nearly seven lakh additional deleted names had not been disclosed. The Congress demanded that the Election Commission provide adequate time for affected voters to restore their names and launch a public awareness campaign through advertisements to ensure eligible voters are informed.

Responding to the allegations, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rejected the opposition’s claims. BJP MLA Babu Singh said the opposition should provide evidence to support its allegations instead of questioning the credibility of the Election Commission.

The Election Commission has, however, clarified that eligible voters whose names have been deleted still have an opportunity to seek inclusion in the electoral roll. Citizens can file claims and objections from now until August 4.

Those seeking fresh voter registration can apply using Form 6, while Form 6A is meant for overseas electors. Individuals wishing to object to the deletion of their names or seek the removal of ineligible entries can submit Form 7. Voters who need to update or correct details such as their address can apply through Form 8. The completed forms must be submitted to the respective Booth Level Officer (BLO).

The Election Commission will verify all claims and objections by September 2, following which the final electoral roll will be published on September 6.

The large-scale deletion of voter names has become a major political issue in Odisha, with opposition parties demanding greater transparency in the revision process, while election authorities maintain that the exercise was carried out to ensure an accurate and updated electoral roll.