Electoral Roll Revision / Odisha to Begin Door-to-Door Voter Survey from October 26 Ahead of Panchayat and ULB Polls

Bhubaneswar, Oct 15: In a major exercise aimed at ensuring accurate and transparent electoral rolls ahead of the 2027 Panchayat and Urban Local Body (ULB) elections, the Odisha State Election Commission will begin a statewide door-to-door survey from October 26, officials said on Thursday.

Announcing the schedule at a press conference here, State Election Commissioner Madhusudan Padhi said the survey is intended to eliminate discrepancies in voter records and ensure that all eligible citizens are included in the electoral rolls.

Officials engaged in the exercise will visit households across the State to collect and verify voter-related information. The initiative is expected to strengthen the accuracy of electoral databases and facilitate the preparation of error-free voter lists for the upcoming local body elections.

According to the schedule released by the Commission, the draft electoral rolls will be published on January 1, 2027. Following the publication, voters will be able to verify their details and submit claims or objections within a 20-day period if they find any errors, omissions or discrepancies.

Separate forms have been prescribed for rural, urban and municipal corporation areas for inclusion, correction or deletion of names. Applications for addition of names or correction of voter details can be submitted using Form 16 in rural areas, Form III in urban areas and Form VII in municipal corporation areas. Likewise, objections seeking deletion of names can be filed through Form 17, Form IV and Form VIII respectively.

The claims and objections received after publication of the draft rolls will be scrutinised by Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs). Necessary action will be taken in accordance with election rules before publication of the final electoral rolls on February 10, 2027.
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To ensure smooth implementation, a large network of grassroots workers, including Booth-Level Officers (BLOs), Anganwadi Workers, ASHA workers, Jal Sathis and Swachh Sathis, will participate in the survey. Monitoring responsibilities have been assigned to Panchayat Executive Officers (PEOs), BLO Supervisors, AEROs and EROs.

The exercise also seeks to map all family members under a unique house number, list them sequentially within the same ward and polling booth, and facilitate participation of political parties through booth-level agents, thereby enhancing transparency and accountability in the electoral process.