”13 Crore Voters Removed?” Know the Real Facts About SIR

A claim is going viral on social media that the Election Commission has removed 13 crore voters’ names. According to the Commission, this figure refers to names flagged in the “Absent, Shifted, Dead or Duplicate” (ASDD) category while preparing the draft roll. It is not the number of names removed from the final electoral roll.

It includes about 2.8 crore deceased voters, 3 crore absent or untraceable electors, 6.3 crore who have permanently moved elsewhere, and about 1 crore names registered at more than one place. Removing dead and duplicate names cleans up the roll and reduces the scope for bogus voting. The draft roll and lists were shared with political parties and their Booth Level Agents. After that, voters got a chance to file claims and objections, and only then was the final roll prepared. According to the Commission, about 2.37 crore new voters aged 18 to 28 have also been added since SIR began.

The Commission has now also directed a special drive for eligible voters who were left out during SIR. If your name is not on the list, you can get it added by filling Form 6 online or through the Voter Helpline App. Check official figures before sharing, and be sure to check your own name on the roll.