In anticipation of the upcoming General Elections in India, a staggering 96.88 crores constitute the world’s largest electorate, registered after an extensive Special Summary Revision 2024 (SSR 2024) initiative.
Before the General Elections scheduled for 2024, the Election Commission of India has officially released the electoral rolls across all States/UTs in the country. The reference date for this publication is 1st January 2024.
This comprehensive exercise also involved the successful revision of electoral rolls in Jammu & Kashmir and Assam, following the delimitation of constituencies. The entire process, marked by meticulous planning, coordination, and active participation of political parties, has resulted in commendable achievements, particularly in terms of inclusivity, health, and the integrity of the electoral rolls.
As India gears up for the General Elections, the substantial voter registration underscores the democratic spirit and civic involvement in the world’s largest democracy. The SSR 2024 highlighted:
Comprehensive Inclusion: Through careful planning and coordination, the electoral rolls have achieved unprecedented inclusivity, showcasing the rich diversity of India’s electorate. According to the officially released electoral roll, a total of more than 96.88 crore voters are now registered nationwide.
Advancing Gender Equality: The latest publication highlights a significant rise in female voter registrations, underscoring a dedicated push for gender parity and inclusiveness in the electoral system. The Electoral Roll gender ratio has experienced a positive surge, reflecting the increasing influence of women in shaping the democratic landscape of the nation. With over 2.63 crore new electors added to the electoral roll, approximately 1.41 crore are female electors, surpassing the newly enrolled male voters (~1.22 crore) by more than 15%.**
Youth Empowerment: The electoral roll has witnessed the inclusion of over 2 crore young electors, encompassing the age groups of 18-19 and 20-29. To streamline youth enrolment, Special Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) were strategically appointed at the constituency level, directly engaging with educational institutions. This initiative aims to cultivate increased civic participation among the younger demographic.
Empowering Persons with Disabilities (PwD) Electors: A laudable initiative has been undertaken to empower Persons with Disabilities (PwD) by identifying approximately 88.35 lakh PwD electors in the electoral roll database. This dedicated effort ensures enhanced accessibility and inclusivity on polling day, emphasizing the importance of their active participation in the democratic process.
Empowering Youth Through Advance Applications: A substantial number of over 10.64 lakh advance applications have been received from individuals aged 17 and above, referencing three subsequent qualifying dates in the year (1st April, 1st July, and 1st October). These applications are set to be processed in the respective quarters, reflecting a proactive approach to encourage youth participation in the electoral process.
Rigorous Electoral Roll Scrutiny: Following meticulous house-to-house verification, the electoral rolls have undergone a robust cleanup process, resulting in the removal of 1,65,76,654 entries belonging to deceased, permanently shifted, and duplicate electors. This comprehensive scrutiny, including the elimination of 67,82,642 deceased voters, 75,11,128 permanently shifted/absent voters, and 22,05,685 duplicate voters, is pivotal in maintaining the integrity and purity of the electoral process.
Inclusive Focus on Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG): Special initiatives have been implemented to achieve 100% registration of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG), marking a significant stride towards making the electoral rolls the most inclusive and representative to date.
Role of ECi in electoral roll maintenance
The Election Commission of India, guided by Article 324 of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, of 1950, is entrusted with the crucial responsibility of preparing and keeping electoral rolls for every constituency. In preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024, the Commission initiated a Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls on 29th May 2023, using 1st January 2024, as the qualifying date.
This SSR was carried out comprehensively in all states and Union Territories, with special schedules for recently polled states and Assam due to constituency delimitation, concluding on Feb 8, 2024, with the publication of rolls in these states. The Commission emphasizes that robust, inclusive, and transparent electoral rolls are fundamental to ensuring free, fair, and credible elections. The Commission prioritized the inclusion of every eligible citizen in the electoral roll while maintaining its accuracy and integrity. Pre-revision activities, including extensive training for field officials involved in SSR, and thorough House-to-House verification by Booth Level Officers (BLO), were given special attention.
House-to-house visits by BLOs aimed to identify unenrolled eligible citizens, prospective electors with subsequent qualifying dates, multiple entries, deceased electors, and permanently shifted electors. Additionally, instructions were issued for the identification and deletion of deceased, permanently shifted, and duplicate electors.
• Over 96.88 crore electors registered across the country
• 6% increase in registered voters from 2019
• Significant increase seen in registrations amongst women, youth and PwDs
• Female voters’ registration surpasses male voters during SSR 2024
• More than 2 crore young electors in the age group 18-29 added
• Eligible unregistered electors can still enrol as voters under continuous updation of electoral rolls