UP scrambles to raise EF Digitisation as SIR deadline nears

As the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Phase II approaches its final deadline, Uttar Pradesh—home to the country’s largest electorate—is racing against time to bridge a widening gap in the digitisation of Elector-specific Enumeration Forms (EFs).

December 4 is the last date for depositing the Enumeration forms by the voters to the Booth Level Officers (BLOs).

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While the state has achieved an impressive 99.62 per cent EF distribution, its digitisation stands at just 26.60 per cent, far below the national average and among the lowest in the country.

The SIR exercise, which began on November 4 and will conclude on December 4, aims to update and verify voter details across India.

According to the SIR November 2 bulletin, Uttar Pradesh deployed 1.62 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and nearly 3.86 lakh Booth Level Agents (BLAs), ensuring the successful distribution of 15.38 crore EFs to households across the state.

This reflects a strong field mobilisation effort that enabled UP to lead in physical distribution.

However, the challenge now lies in the slower digital entry of these forms, a critical step for updating the electoral roll. Of the forms distributed, only 4.10 crore have been digitised so far. Officials fear that unless the pace improves, the state could face backlogs that may affect the accuracy of the upcoming electoral roll, especially given its massive voter population.

Across the country, digitisation progress varies sharply. Lakshadweep leads with a remarkable 96.81 per cent EF digitisation—the highest in India—showcasing near-perfect efficiency. At the other end, Kerala has recorded the lowest digitisation rate at 23.72 per cent, placing Uttar Pradesh just above it in the national ranking.

The nationwide digitisation average stands at 47.35 per cent.

To address the shortfall, election officials in Uttar Pradesh have been directed to intensify data-entry operations in lagging districts. BLOs have been asked to increase verification visits, including evening rounds, while BLAs from political parties have been urged to assist in clearing pending discrepancies. Additional data-entry operators are being engaged, and district election officers are monitoring progress closely with more frequent reviews.

With the December 4 deadline fast approaching, the state’s focus is now firmly on accelerating digitisation to ensure that Uttar Pradesh enters the final phase of the SIR with stronger, more accurate numbers.

Officials remain hopeful that the intensified efforts over the next several days will significantly improve the state’s standing before the final revision figures are released.

Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer ( CEO) Navdeep Rinwa said here on Monday that the DEOs, BLOsvand other concerns have been asked to pull up their socks. “We have strictly instructed DEOs to regularly monitor the progress of digitisation of the Enumeration forms collected from the voters,” he added.