Puducherry: The final electoral roll for 2026 has been officially published in the Union Territory of Puducherry on Saturday, following the completion of a comprehensive Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise conducted under the supervision of the Election Commission of India.
The revision, based on January 1, 2026, as the qualifying date, was carried out between October 27, 2025, and February 14, 2026. According to the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, the exercise involved 100 per cent physical verification of electors. Booth Level Officers personally delivered and collected enumeration forms to ensure accuracy, resulting in the identification and deletion of numerous ineligible entries, including deceased persons, individuals who had permanently shifted to other states, and duplicate entries.
The draft electoral roll had been published on December 16, 2025. Following the statutory period for claims and objections, which ended on January 19, 2026, eligible voters were added and ineligible names removed. In total, 41,492 new voters were included through Forms 6, 6A, and 8, while 16,619 names were deleted after verification and objections.
The final roll, published on February 14, records a total electorate of 9,44,211 across 30 Assembly constituencies, comprising 4,43,595 male voters, 5,00,477 female voters, and 139 third-gender voters. Region-wise, Puducherry accounts for 7,21,296 voters, Karaikal 1,55,515, Mahe 29,736, and Yanam 37,664.
Among the electorate, 23,033 are first-time voters in the 18–19 age group, while the roll also includes 12,204 persons with disabilities and 6,034 senior citizens aged 85 and above.
The final roll is being displayed at all polling stations on February 14 and 15 and will remain available for public inspection at Voter Facilitation Centres for seven days, excluding holidays. Voters can verify their details and apply for corrections or inclusion through online or offline modes. A dedicated toll-free helpline, 1950, has been set up for election-related queries.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, the draft roll was published on December 19, and the final electoral roll is expected to be released on February 17.
With IANS inputs