Puducherry, Feb 14 (IANS) The Final Electoral Roll for 2026 was officially published in the Union Territory of Puducherry on Saturday (February 14), following the completion of a comprehensive Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise conducted under the directions of the Election Commission of India.

The revision, carried out with January 1, 2026 as the qualifying date, was undertaken 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. This process led to the identification and deletion of a significant number of ineligible names, including deceased persons, those who had permanently shifted to other states, and duplicate entries.

The draft electoral roll was published on December 16, 2025.

After the statutory period for claims and objections ended on January 19, 2026, eligible voters were added and ineligible entries removed. In total, 41,492 new voters were included through Forms 6, 6A and 8, while 16,619 names were deleted following verification and objections.

As per the final roll published on February 14, the total electorate in Puducherry stands at 9,44,211 across 30 Assembly constituencies. This includes 4,43,595 male voters, 5,00,477 female voters, and 139 third-gender voters. Region-wise, the Puducherry region accounts for 7,21,296 voters, Karaikal has 1,55,515, Mahe has 29,736, and Yanam has 37,664.

Among the total electorate, 23,033 are first-time voters in the 18–19 age group. The roll also records 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 made available 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.

–IANS

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