Meghalaya CEO Publishes Draft Electoral Roll 2026; Over 2.22 Lakh Voters Placed Under ‘No Mapping’ Category After Statewide Verification Drive
The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Meghalaya, on August 5, 2026, published the Draft Electoral Roll 2026 for all 60 Assembly constituencies under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The exercise, conducted on the directions of the Election Commission of India, has resulted in a significant clean-up of the state’s voter list following a comprehensive house-to-house verification drive.
According to data released by CEO B.D.R. Tiwari, the draft roll now contains 21,69,243 electors, a reduction of 1,80,402 names from the pre-revision figure of 23,49,645. The drop reflects the identification and provisional exclusion of electors falling under the Absent, Shifted, Deceased and Duplicate (ASDD) categories. Officials described the revision as a major step towards preparing a clean, accurate and inclusive electoral roll ahead of future elections in the state.
The ASDD category accounts for 7.68 per cent of the earlier electorate. Of the 1,80,402 names removed from the draft list, 81,490 were found to be deceased, 45,011 were classified as untraceable or absent, 42,532 had permanently shifted residence, 6,701 were identified as duplicate entries, and 4,668 cases involved refusal to submit enumeration forms or other residual categories. These exclusions followed the successful completion of the enumeration phase, during which Booth Level Officers (BLOs) achieved 100 per cent distribution and digitisation of enumeration forms covering the entire electorate of 23,49,645.
A central feature of the 2026 SIR has been the systematic mapping of current electors against the 2005 Special Intensive Revision database. Officials reported that 7,75,665 electors, or 33.01 per cent, were successfully mapped under the “Self” category by linking their own earlier electoral records. Another 11,70,792 electors, representing 49.83 per cent, were mapped under the “Progeny” category through the records of their parents or grandparents available in the 2005 database. This dual-mapping approach was designed to establish continuity of electoral identity and reduce the scope for fraudulent or outdated entries.
However, 2,22,786 electors, constituting 9.48 per cent of the total pre-revision electorate, could not be linked to the 2005 records and have been placed under the “No Mapping” category. Election authorities have repeatedly clarified that these voters have not been deleted from the electoral roll. Their cases will undergo detailed individual verification during the statutory claims and objections period. Notices will be issued to the concerned electors, who will be given an opportunity to appear before the Electoral Registration Officer or Booth Level Officer and submit supporting documents to establish their eligibility. Only after this process will a final decision be taken on their inclusion or otherwise.
The publication of the draft roll on August 5 formally opened the claims and objections window, which remains open until September 4, 2026. During this period, eligible citizens whose names do not appear in the draft list may apply for inclusion by submitting Form 6 along with the prescribed declaration and supporting documents. Those whose names appear but whose details contain errors can file objections or requests for correction. Electors whose names are already listed and have been successfully mapped with the 2005 records need not take any further action.
Women continue to outnumber men in Meghalaya’s electoral rolls. The draft list records 11,16,199 women electors, 10,53,039 men, and five third-gender electors. This gender imbalance has been a consistent feature of the state’s voter demographics over successive revisions.
In addition to the revision of names, the Election Commission has approved the rationalisation of polling stations across Meghalaya. The exercise has led to the creation of 86 new polling stations, raising the total from 3,551 to 3,637. Officials said the rationalisation aims to improve accessibility and reduce the average number of electors per polling station, particularly in remote and sparsely populated areas of the state.
The house-to-house enumeration phase, which ran from the end of June until the end of July 2026, was marked by high levels of participation from political parties. More than 1,600 Booth Level Agents were appointed by recognised national and state parties to monitor the process and assist electors. Traditional institutions, including Dorbar Shnongs, Nokmas and village authorities, also played an active role in facilitating the verification exercise and ensuring community-level awareness.
CEO B.D.R. Tiwari has emphasised that the objective of the SIR is not merely numerical reduction but the preparation of a robust and error-free electoral roll. “All cases under the No Mapping and ASDD categories will be scrutinised during the statutory verification process before the final electoral roll is published,” he stated. Officials have also pointed out that the updated rolls prepared under the 2026 SIR are expected to serve as an important parameter for any future delimitation exercise in Meghalaya.
For ordinary voters, the current phase is critical. Those whose names appear under the “No Mapping” category should treat the forthcoming notice as an opportunity to clarify their status rather than as a final exclusion. Eligible citizens who discover that their names are missing from the draft roll are advised to file claims without delay. The Election Department has made both physical and online channels available for the submission of forms, and BLOs remain the primary point of contact at the booth level.
The Special Intensive Revision forms part of a nationwide effort by the Election Commission to update electoral rolls using a combination of field verification and database linkage. In Meghalaya, the exercise has been particularly significant given the state’s relatively small electorate and the frequent occurrence of narrow victory margins in Assembly constituencies. A clean roll is expected to enhance the integrity of the electoral process and reduce the scope for disputes arising from outdated or inflated voter lists.
As the claims and objections period progresses through August and into early September, the focus of the election machinery will shift to the verification of the large “No Mapping” cohort and the final processing of ASDD cases. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published after the disposal of all claims and objections, in accordance with the timeline prescribed by the Election Commission of India.
Voters across the state have been urged to check the draft rolls carefully, either through the official website of the CEO’s office, at designated display centres, or by approaching their local Booth Level Officers. The coming weeks will determine the final composition of Meghalaya’s electoral roll for 2026 and will shape the foundation of the state’s democratic process in the years ahead.
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