Chennai, Feb 15 (IANS) The final electoral roll for Tamil Nadu will now be published on February 23, 2026, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Archana Patnaik has announced.
The release, originally scheduled for February 17, has been postponed in line with directions issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) following orders of the Supreme Court.
The decision comes in the wake of the Supreme Court’s directives in WP(C) Nos. 1072/2025 and 1145/2025 dated January 29, 2026.
Acting on the court’s instructions, the Election Commission issued a communication dated January 30 mandating the publication of lists of individuals falling under the category of “logical discrepancies” identified during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
As per the Commission’s directions, the names of such individuals have been displayed at Gram Panchayat offices, public places, Taluk and Sub-Divisional offices, and ward offices in urban areas across the State.
The aim is to ensure transparency and provide affected voters an opportunity to clarify or rectify discrepancies in their electoral records.
The Election Commission has further directed that individuals whose names appear on the discrepancy list be given 10 days from the date of publication to submit relevant documents or explanations. They may do so either in person or through authorised representatives, including polling agents. This provision ensures that genuine voters are not excluded from the rolls without being granted a fair opportunity to respond.
In compliance with the Supreme Court’s order, the discrepancy lists have been published and affected individuals are currently being allowed to file their representations within the stipulated time frame.
The final electoral roll, being prepared as part of the Special Intensive Revision with January 1, 2026 as the qualifying date, will reflect corrections made after examining the responses received.
The revised publication date of February 23 is intended to accommodate the completion of this due process.
The Chief Electoral Officer emphasised that the revision exercise is being carried out in a transparent and legally compliant manner to uphold the integrity of the electoral process in Tamil Nadu.
–IANS
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