Shillong, August 5: The Meghalaya Election Department on Wednesday published the Draft Electoral Roll, 2026 for all 60 Assembly constituencies under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), with 21,69,243 electors included in the draft list. The publication has opened the statutory period for filing claims and objections from August 5 to September 4. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on October 7 after the disposal of all claims and objections. The draft roll comprises 10,53,039 male electors, 11,16,199 female electors and five third-gender electors. Before the revision, Meghalaya had 23,49,645 registered electors.
During the house-to-house verification exercise, election officials identified 1,80,402 electors, or 7.68 per cent of the electorate, under the Absent, Shifted, Deceased and Duplicate categories. These included 81,490 deceased electors, 45,011 untraceable or absent electors, 42,532 permanently shifted electors, 4,668 cases involving refusal to submit enumeration forms or other reasons, and 6,701 duplicate enrolments.
The Election Department said the revision achieved 100 per cent distribution and digitisation of enumeration forms covering all 23,49,645 electors in the state. Of the total electorate, 7,75,665 voters, or 33.01 per cent, were mapped as “Self” by linking their records with the SIR 2005 database. Another 11,70,792 electors, or 49.83 per cent, were mapped as “Progeny” through their parents’ or grandparents’ electoral records. A total of 2,22,786 electors, representing 9.48 per cent of the electorate, could not be linked with the 2005 records and were placed under the “No Mapping” category. The department clarified that such electors have not been automatically deleted and their cases will undergo verification during the notice and claims process.
The draft electoral roll has been displayed at the offices of District Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, as well as at all polling stations. Copies have also been provided to recognised national and state political parties. Hard copies without photographs have been shared with traditional heads, Dorbar Shnongs, Nokmas and other designated public institutions for public inspection.
The Election Commission of India has also approved the creation of 86 new polling stations in Meghalaya, increasing the total from 3,551 to 3,637 to improve accessibility and voter convenience.
Electors whose names are missing from the draft roll may apply for inclusion by submitting Form 6 along with the prescribed declaration during the claims and objections period. Those included in the draft roll but not mapped with the SIR 2005 database will receive notices from their Electoral Registration Officer or Booth Level Officer and will be required to attend hearings with supporting documents.
The Chief Electoral Officer has directed election officials to dispose of all claims and objections fairly, transparently and within the prescribed timeframe through reasoned orders. The department appealed to electors, political parties, Booth Level Agents, traditional institutions, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to participate in the revision process to ensure an accurate, inclusive and error-free electoral roll.
