As many as 2.73 crore Gen Z voters in the 18 to 28 age group have been added to electoral rolls since the Election Commission began its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in 2025, according to Election Commission officials.
Continuous Voter Registration Enhances Young Voter Enrolment
The Election Commission has confirmed that electoral rolls are regularly updated, allowing eligible citizens to register at any time without waiting for a formal revision. Form 6 serves as the application for new voter registration.
Officials emphasized that the processes of Special Intensive Registration (SIR), Special Summary Revision (SSR), and continuous updates are distinct. They reported that 2.73 crore new voters aged 18 to 28 were added during the SIR period, indicating ongoing enrolment efforts among young voters.
The poll body officials, however, disputed that characterisation, pointing to the continuous updation of electoral rolls, under which eligible citizens can apply for inclusion even outside an annual revision. The application is processed in the relevant quarter in which the applicant attains the qualifying age. The 2.73 crore figure covers voters between the ages of 18 and 28, including first-time voters as well as young electors who were already eligible to vote but were subsequently added to or updated on the electoral rolls. “As per the amendment in Section 14 of the RP Act, 1950, in 2021, read with Section 19 of the RP Act, 1950, any person whose name is not on the electoral rolls or attains 18 years of age on January 1, April 1, July 1 or October 1 can register as a voter without waiting for any kind of revision, as a part of regular updation of electoral rolls. Both Special Summary Revision (SSR) and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) are done under Section 21(3) of the RP Act, 1950 and are optional. The four qualifying dates were introduced after an amendment to Section 14(b) of the Representation of the People Act. An eligible citizen who has completed, or is completing, 18 years on any of the four dates can submit an advance application in Form 6.
There is no legal requirement to hold both together,” the officials said.
