Bhubaneswar, May 31: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Leader of the Opposition in the Odisha Assembly Naveen Patnaik on Sunday participated in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and urged citizens to verify their voter rights as the State-wide exercise commenced in Odisha.

Patnaik received and signed the enumeration form handed over by a Booth Level Officer (BLO) at his residence, Naveen Niwas in Bhubaneswar, as part of the voter verification drive launched by the Election Commission.

He also emphasised the importance of safeguarding democratic rights.

Taking to X, Patnaik said, "Protecting the rights of voters is paramount in a democracy. By participating in the #SIR process that has begun in Odisha, I have ensured my voter rights. Before anyone removes your name from the voter list, everyone should verify their voter rights. In a democracy, the rights of every citizen must remain intact. #SIROdisha".

The Special Intensive Revision drive began across Odisha on May 30 and will continue until June 28. The exercise aims to update and streamline electoral rolls ahead of future elections by verifying voter details through door-to-door outreach.

As part of the drive, BLOs will go door-to-door to meet people. During these visits, they will distribute forms. People will have to fill out these forms and return them to the BLOs.

To facilitate public participation, BLOs will also remain available at designated polling booths every day between 3 PM and 5 PM to assist voters and receive completed forms.

According to the Election Commission's schedule, Odisha, along with Mizoram, Sikkim and Manipur, has July 1, 2026, as the qualifying date for the revision. The draft electoral roll will be published on July 5, while claims and objections can be filed until August 4. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on September 6, 2026.