Mumbai: The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral mapping in Maharashtra has shown disappointing results in urban areas, particularly in Mumbai, Thane, and Pune, while the tribal district of Gadchiroli has seen the highest participation. As per the Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC) data, the Mumbai Suburban district recorded only 36.31% of electoral mapping, the lowest in the state and far below the state average of 64.77%. On the other hand, Gadchiroli has achieved a remarkable 90.2% participation.
The SEC initiated this electoral mapping exercise to link current voter data with the 2002 electoral rolls, the year of the last SIR. Voters listed in the 2002 rolls are not required to provide documentation for proving their Indian citizenship for voter eligibility. For those whose details are not found in the 2002 records, booth-level officers (BLOs) will conduct door-to-door verifications.
The mapping exercise began two months ago, and it is expected to conclude once the elections in five other states finish in the first week of May 2026. The Election Commission of India (ECI) aims to complete over 80% of the verification through the mapping of existing voter data with the 2002 electoral rolls. So far, 11 of Maharashtra’s 36 districts have exceeded 80% verification through mapping, with 15 other districts crossing 70%, mostly in rural areas. Gadchiroli is the only district to achieve over 90% mapping so far.
A significant cause of the low mapping percentage in Mumbai is large-scale migration, both from other states and within the city. The high migration levels have made it difficult to keep track of electors. Additionally, a shortage of BLOs has further slowed the process. S Chockalingam, the Chief Electoral Officer, stated that the shortage of BLOs and significant intra-city migration in Mumbai have contributed to the slow pace of mapping. He mentioned that municipal corporations have been asked to increase the number of BLOs, and they have shown a positive response.Chockalingam also noted that the state’s cooperation department has directed cooperative housing societies to assist BLOs during the upcoming door-to-door survey, in line with the instructions from the Election Commission of India.
