Former Tripura chief minister and veteran CPIM leader Manik Sarkar has urged the Election Department to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roll revision. The revision will begin in Tripura on September 5, 2026, according to the state Election Department.
Quick Glance
- What: Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls
- Where: Tripura
- When: From September 5, 2026
- Who: Former CM Manik Sarkar
- Key demand: Protect eligible voters from wrongful deletion
- Also highlighted: Newly eligible voters, elderly electors and married women changing residence
- Concrn: Potential difficulties for vulnerable sections during voter-list revision
Tripura SIR to begin on September 5
Agartala August 08: The Election Department announced the start date for the SIR exercise a day before Sarkar made his remarks.
The revision will cover electoral rolls across Tripura.
Sarkar urged officials to approach the process with care. He said the exercise should improve the accuracy of voter lists without excluding genuine electors.
He also called for an independent process.
According to Sarkar, election officials should not allow political criticism or pressure to influence the revision.
Manik Sarkar seeks protection for existing voters
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Sarkar said voters who had participated in previous elections should not lose their names from the electoral rolls without proper consideration.
He called for careful verification before removing any existing voter.
“The voters who had been able to cast their votes in the previous elections shouldn’t have their names deleted from the electoral rolls,” Sarkar said.
The former chief minister said the Election Department must ensure that genuine voters retain their right to participate in elections.
He also highlighted the position of elderly voters.
Senior citizens who have remained on the electoral rolls should not face unnecessary difficulties during the revision, he said.
Newly eligible voters must be included
Sarkar also urged officials to identify citizens who have recently reached the legal voting age.
The SIR process, he said, should not focus only on removing incorrect or ineligible entries.
It should also ensure that newly eligible citizens get their names included in the electoral rolls.
This would allow young voters to participate in elections once they meet the eligibility requirements.
Concerns over SIR exercises in other states
Sarkar referred to SIR exercises carried out in other states.
He claimed that the process had created difficulties for some sections of voters.
He specifically mentioned minority communities, Scheduled Castes and economically weaker sections.
Bihar and West Bengal figured in his remarks.
Sarkar urged Tripura’s election officials to take note of such experiences while conducting the exercise in the state.
At the same time, he asked officials to conduct the revision independently.
He said the process should remain focused on electoral accuracy and voter rights.
Married women face a different challenge
Sarkar also highlighted the situation of married women who move from their parental homes to their matrimonial homes.
Such changes in residence can affect their electoral registration.
A woman who previously voted from her parental constituency may need to shift her registration to a different polling area after marriage.
“Married daughters move to their in-laws’ house after marriage. Previously they might have voted from their parental home but now their polling station and area of voting shall change,” Sarkar said.
He urged election officials to handle such cases carefully.
The process should allow voters to update their details without losing their electoral rights, he said.
Appeal to political parties and workers
Sarkar also called on political parties and their workers to exercise caution during the SIR process.
He urged them to act responsibly while assisting voters and monitoring the revision.
Political parties can also help voters identify discrepancies in electoral rolls and bring genuine concerns before election officials.
The former chief minister’s appeal comes ahead of the September 5 launch of the SIR exercise in Tripura.
Accuracy must not come at voters’ expense
Sarkar stressed that an accurate electoral roll remains important for a credible election process.
However, he said accuracy should not come at the cost of excluding eligible citizens.
He called for safeguards for voters who have already participated in elections, elderly electors and people who have recently become eligible.
He also sought careful handling of cases involving changes of residence, particularly among married women.
The Election Department will begin the Special Intensive Revision in Tripura on September 5.
The exercise is expected to involve the verification and updating of electoral records.
Sarkar has urged officials to carry out the process carefully, independently and transparently.
His appeal centres on one key point: the revision of electoral rolls should remove inaccuracies while ensuring that every eligible citizen retains the opportunity to vote.
