The Election Commission (EC) has collected information on 50 lakh new voters during the ongoing update process.
On Tuesday (September 4), EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed provided this information to journalists at the Election Commission building.
He stated that a total of 49,70,388 new voters are being added, while the initial target was 61,89,000.
The EC Secretary further mentioned that, as of Monday (3rd), the exclusion rate of voters has increased by 2.44%. This represents those who were previously unable to become voters. Meanwhile, the percentage of new voters who will be eligible from January 1, 2026, is 1.45%. The total increase in the voter count, considering both factors, stands at 3.9%. Additionally, 15,23,000 deceased voters have been removed from the list. This data is expected to change on Wednesday (February 5).
He noted that the numbers are currently lower compared to the previous update. The exact reason for this decline is unclear, as feedback from the field is still limited. The commission will investigate whether fieldworkers were able to reach all households or if there were any limitations.
The EC Secretary mentioned that data collectors visited many households but, in cases where they couldn’t find residents, they left contact numbers. However, the commission needs to identify and address limitations in areas that were not reached.
In response to a question, he stated that excluded voters can still register directly at voter registration centers until April 11. Additionally, online registration will remain open beyond that date. The commission will investigate why some officials neglected their duties and will take measures to correct those errors.
The number of female voters has increased in this update. Among those who were left out, 14 lakh are men, while 16 lakh are women.
