Dehradun, October 17, 2026: Social activists Anoop Nautiyal and Praveen Upreti released a report titled “SIR and Uttarakhand’s Changing Electoral Landscape Between the 2022 and 2027 Assembly Elections” at a press conference held at the Dehradun Press Club on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
The report examines changes in Uttarakhand’s electoral rolls, compares available data from different states, and raises important questions about the scale and distribution of the decline in voter numbers following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
The report’s principal finding is that Uttarakhand has recorded a decline of 11,07,695 voters, or 13.40%, between the 2022 Assembly elections and the final electoral roll published on October 3, 2026. The number of registered voters has fallen from 82,66,644 to approximately 71.59 lakh.
This represents a major change in the state’s electoral base as Uttarakhand prepares for the 2027 Assembly elections. Between 2012 and 2022, approximately 18.89 lakh voters were added to the state’s electoral rolls, making the sharp decline reflected in the latest figures particularly significant.
The reasons behind this reduction must be explained transparently. This requires a clear breakdown of deleted names, deaths, migration, duplicate entries, and other corrections made during the revision process.
The report also presents a comparison with other states, identifying Uttarakhand’s 13.40% decline as the highest among the states examined.
According to the comparative figures presented in the report, Uttar Pradesh recorded a decline of approximately 11.4%, Tamil Nadu 8.79%, West Bengal 6.88%, Goa 9.18%, Manipur 5.28%, and Punjab 0.7%.
Kerala recorded a decline of 1.12%, while Bihar and Assam registered increases in voter numbers during the respective comparison periods.
These figures require careful interpretation because the reference years, publication dates, and electoral roll revision processes differ across states. They should therefore not be treated as comparisons made on an entirely uniform basis.
Nevertheless, the scale of the decline in Uttarakhand is substantial enough to warrant the Election Commission of India publishing comparative data based on uniform standards and explaining the reasons behind the state’s exceptionally large reduction in voter numbers.
The decline in voter numbers has not been uniform across Uttarakhand.
Dehradun district recorded a reduction of approximately 3.03 lakh voters, representing a decline of 20.22%. This is the highest percentage decline among the districts identified in the report.
Pauri Garhwal recorded a decline of 14.89%, Pithoragarh 13.61%, and Tehri Garhwal 13.14%.
At the Assembly constituency level, Dehradun Cantt recorded a decline of 34.19%, Rajpur Road 32.64%, and Dharampur 27.59%.
These disparities require a detailed explanation from the Election Commission of India.
Criticising the Election Commission, Anoop Nautiyal said the report’s findings raise serious questions about transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the electoral process.
He said:
“When citizens do not know whether their names remain on the electoral rolls, or when they are required to navigate a complicated process simply to secure their right to vote, democracy is weakened.
“The situation appears to be such that voters are being forced to chase the Election Commission to protect their voting rights, whereas the Commission itself should proactively reach out to voters to ensure that no eligible citizen is excluded from the electoral rolls.
“The Election Commission must understand that maintaining accurate electoral rolls is not merely an administrative exercise. It is fundamental to the credibility of elections and the health of our democracy.
“Restoring public confidence requires transparency, timely disclosure of data, and an accessible mechanism for addressing complaints and grievances.”
Gender-Based Analysis Raises Further Concerns
The gender-based analysis presented in the report highlights another area of concern.
According to the report, in 36 of Uttarakhand’s 70 Assembly constituencies, the percentage decline in the number of female voters is greater than that of male voters.
A similar trend is visible in five districts: Udham Singh Nagar, Haridwar, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, and Almora.
The report also notes that during the 2022 Assembly elections, Dwarahat was the only Assembly constituency where female voters outnumbered male voters.
However, according to the electoral roll figures examined for the 2027 elections, there is now no Assembly constituency in Uttarakhand where the number of female voters exceeds that of male voters.
These findings require thorough investigation, and no conclusions should be drawn about their causes without supporting evidence.
The Election Commission should publish gender-disaggregated data for every Assembly constituency and polling station.
This should include the number of male and female voters before and after the revision process, along with the recorded reasons for the deletion of names.
During the recently announced Special Summary Revision, accessible opportunities must be provided to eligible women whose names are missing from the electoral rolls to register themselves or correct their records.
Rajpur Road Now Has Fewer Voters Than Badrinath and Kedarnath
One of the most striking comparisons presented in the report concerns the Rajpur Road Assembly constituency in Dehradun and the Himalayan Assembly constituencies of Badrinath and Kedarnath.
In 2022, Rajpur Road had 1,19,615 registered voters, compared with 1,04,795 in Badrinath and 93,016 in Kedarnath.
However, according to the final electoral roll published on October 3, 2026, the number of voters in Rajpur Road has fallen to 80,569.
In comparison, Badrinath has 91,555 registered voters, while Kedarnath has 85,924.
Rajpur Road now has fewer registered voters than either of these two Himalayan Assembly constituencies.
Since 2022, Rajpur Road has recorded a reduction of 39,046 voters, compared with a decline of 13,240 in Badrinath and 7,092 in Kedarnath.
This comparison raises important questions about the substantial reduction in voter numbers in an urban constituency such as Rajpur Road.
Report Demands Detailed Disclosure and Accountability from the Election Commission
The report calls upon the Election Commission of India to publish a complete Assembly constituency-wise and polling station-wise breakdown of the reduction of 11.07 lakh voters.
The reasons for the deletion of names should be classified into separate categories, and the figures should be reconciled with previous electoral rolls.
The report also demands a comparative assessment of Uttarakhand and other states based on uniform standards, clearly identifying the reference dates and electoral roll revision procedures followed in each state.
A gender-based review of all 70 Assembly constituencies has also been demanded, with particular attention to the 36 constituencies where the percentage decline in female voters has been greater than that of male voters.
Additionally, the report calls for a detailed examination of the exceptionally large reductions recorded in Dehradun Cantt, Rajpur Road, and Dharampur.
It also seeks reconciliation and clarification of SDD and No Mapping data in Rajpur Road, Badrinath, Kedarnath, and other similarly affected Assembly constituencies.
Special Summary Revision Must Be Transparent and Accessible
Finally, the report urges the Election Commission to ensure that the ongoing Special Summary Revision is conducted in a transparent and accessible manner.
Eligible voters must be provided with convenient facilities to verify their names on the electoral rolls, submit claims and corrections, and track the status of their applications and grievances.
A system of time-bound public reporting must also be established to ensure accountability throughout the revision process.
Anoop Nautiyal said the objective of the report is to strengthen electoral transparency, restore public confidence, and protect the fundamental right of every eligible citizen to be registered as a voter.
He also expressed his gratitude to his colleague Praveen Upreti for his significant contribution to data collection and documentation during the preparation of the report.
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