The final Electoral Rolls published on 6th and 7th January 2025 following the countrywide Special Summary Revision (SSR) have witnessed an unprecedented level of acceptance, with very few First or Second Appeals filed under Section 24 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. These appeals pertain to corrections under Section 22 and inclusions under Section 23 of the Act.
As per the date released by ECI, this comprehensive exercise covered nearly 10.5 lakh polling booths across the country and was conducted with the active involvement of 13.87 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs) nominated by political parties, spanning 4,123 Assembly Constituencies nationwide.
The absence of any large scale appeals indicates a broad consensus and acceptance of the updated electoral rolls by all stakeholders. Accordingly, the Electoral Rolls published post-SSR in January 2025 are now to be treated as undisputed.
It may be recalled that the SSR 2025 exercise was conducted with particular emphasis on States and Union Territories slated for Assembly Elections after the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has reiterated its commitment to free, fair, inclusive, and transparent electoral processes, and views the smooth completion and acceptance of the SSR 2025 as a major step forward in strengthening the foundations of democracy.
“The lack of appeals following the publication of the electoral rolls is a testament to the transparency, inclusiveness, and robustness of the SSR process. With active participation from political parties through their Booth Level Agents, we are confident that the electoral rolls published in January 2025 reflect a high level of accuracy and public trust,” said a Representative of the Chief Electoral Officer.
