Meghalaya Electoral Roll Scrutiny: 542 Voters Declared Ineligible as Over 82% of Hearings Conclude

SHILLONG — In a rigorous push to ensure the absolute integrity of its voter lists, the Meghalaya Election Department has declared 542 electors ineligible following extensive scrutiny under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of 2026. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Dr. B.D.R. Tiwari confirmed the latest figures, highlighting the administration's systematic approach to eliminating duplicate, deceased, or untraceable entries from the state's democratic registers.

The verification drive is part of a massive statewide exercise targeting the state's draft electoral roll, which currently lists 21,69,243 registered voters.

According to official data shared by the CEO, election authorities generated 6,51,735 specific notices flagging entries that required mandatory, ground-level verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs).

As of the latest review, the state has made significant headway, completing over 82.31 percent of the scheduled hearings.

Out of the flagged cases, 5,36,468 electors have successfully undergone the prescribed scrutiny process. This marks a rapid acceleration in the cleanup drive; just a week prior, the number of ineligible voters stood at 384, indicating that authorities are now swiftly processing the more complex, contested cases.

While the primary focus has been on purging invalid entries, the SIR exercise is simultaneously expanding democratic access. Officials noted that 17,061 new, eligible voters have been successfully added to the rolls during this revision period, ensuring that first-time voters and recent migrants are properly enfranchised.

This meticulous ground-level verification serves as a critical secondary filter. It follows the publication of the initial draft roll in early August, which had already excluded a staggering 1.8 lakh voters due to deaths, relocations, and duplications.

The ongoing hearings allow citizens to raise formal claims and objections regarding their inclusion or the deletion of others, ensuring due process is followed before any name is permanently struck off.
To ensure no eligible citizen is disenfranchised due to procedural delays or missing documentation, the Election Department has extended the window for filing claims and objections until September 18, 2026.

Dr. Tiwari has urged recognized political parties, civil society groups, and the general public to actively participate in the remaining hearings.
Once the September 18 deadline passes and all pending grievances are resolved by the Electoral Registration Officers, the department will finalize and publish the definitive electoral roll, setting a clean and accurate foundation for the state’s future democratic exercises.