Bhubaneswar, August 18: Odisha will carry out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of its electoral roll for the first time since 2002, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) R.S. Gopalan announced on Monday. The updated final voters’ list will be published on January 7.

As part of the exercise, the state will see its polling stations increase from 38,000 to 45,000 to ensure wider voter participation.

Responding to objections from political parties, Gopalan said detailed clarifications have already been provided twice to the BJD and also to the Congress. He urged parties to refrain from “baseless allegations” that could undermine the credibility of the Election Commission.

On voter identity concerns, the CEO informed that nearly 7,000 cards linked with Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers have been replaced, including 5,000 in Banki. He underlined that a valid voter card, not just an EPIC number, is mandatory for casting a vote.

The SIR exercise has also sparked political debate all over the country. In Parliament, opposition parties recently protested against the voter list revision in Bihar, alleging large-scale exclusions and pressing for a discussion.

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