The Election Commission of India has published Gujarat’s final electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision process, confirming a significant reduction in the state’s voter base. The revised list was officially released on February 17, 2026, after an extensive verification exercise conducted across districts.
Key Statistics for Gujarat
Total Deletions: Approximately 68.12 lakh names were removed from the initial draft list of around 5.08 crore voters.
Percentage Reduction: The deletions amount to a 13.40 percent decrease, marking one of the sharpest reductions recorded during this revision phase.
Current Electorate Strength: After the revision, Gujarat’s final verified voter count stands at 4,40,30,725 voters.
New Additions: Despite the large number of removals, nearly 9.56 lakh new voters were added to the rolls, primarily first time electors and newly eligible citizens.
Reasons for Deletions
Officials stated that the cleanup exercise was based on verification and cross checking of records. The major reasons include:
- Permanently Shifted: Approximately 40.25 lakh voters
- Deceased Individuals: Around 18.07 lakh names
- Duplicate or Multiple Enrolments: Nearly 3.81 lakh entries
- Untraceable or Absent Voters: About 9.69 lakh cases
The revision aimed to improve the accuracy and integrity of the electoral database.
Regional Highlights
Surat: Recorded the highest number of deletions among major cities with 85,734 names removed. The city also added nearly 1 lakh new voters.
Ahmedabad: Continues to have the highest voter population at 49.1 lakh and registered the highest number of new additions at approximately 1.5 lakh voters.
Part of a Nationwide Drive
The Special Intensive Revision is part of a broader national effort to update and verify voter lists ahead of upcoming elections. Similar revision processes are underway in several other states, with final electoral rolls in states like West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu expected to be published by the end of February 2026.
Why This Matters
Accurate electoral rolls are critical for ensuring free and fair elections. While large scale deletions often raise public discussion, officials maintain that such revisions are essential to remove outdated or duplicate entries and maintain transparency in the electoral process.