Highlights: SIR exercise to be conducted in 12 states after Bihar, announces CEC Kumar
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The poll body will launch the first phase of the SIR in 2026 (File image)
The Election Commission is holding a press conference to announce the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list, an exercise recently completed in Bihar, where Assembly elections are due next month.
Although full details are yet to be announced, the Election Commission is likely to launch the first phase of the SIR, covering 10 to 15 states, including those set to hold Assembly elections in 2026.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Washington is seeking to strengthen its strategic partnership with Pakistan, but not at the cost of its longstanding and vital relationship with India.
Addressing journalists ahead of his meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Kuala Lumpur on Monday during the Asean summit, Rubio emphasised that the US shares a “deep, historic, and important” friendship with India.
India’s concerns over US-Pakistan shift
Rubio’s comments follow reports suggesting that Washington is moving closer to Islamabad, a development that has sparked concern among foreign policy observers and created unease in New Delhi, particularly in the wake of recent strategic and economic engagements under the Trump administration.
Responding to questions about India’s apprehensions regarding US-Pakistan relations, Rubio said, “New Delhi is concerned for obvious reasons, but I don’t think anything we’re doing with Pakistan comes at the expense of our relationship with India.”
He described India as “very mature when it comes to diplomacy” and underlined that the US must sustain engagement with multiple nations simultaneously.
5:11 PM
Cyclone ‘Montha’ set to hit Andhra coast near Kakinada on Oct 28: IMD
Continuing its north-northwestward trajectory, the system is likely to make landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, around Kakinada, during the evening or night of October 28.
5:02 PM
Draft rolls to be published on December 9; final electoral rolls on February 7, says CEC
The second phase of SIR in 12 states and Union Territories will cover 510 million voters; enumeration process to begin on November 4, says CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
4:56 PM
Election Commission press conference LIVE: 12 states to undergo second phase of SIR
The second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise will be conducted in the following 12 states and Union Territories:
- Andaman and Nicobar
- Chhattisgarh
- Goa
- Gujarat
- Kerala
- Lakshadweep
- Madhya Pradesh
- Puducherry
- Rajasthan
- Tamil Nadu
- Uttar Pradesh
- West Bengal
4:48 PM
Training of polling officials for Phase-II of SIR to begin on Tuesday, says CEC Gyanesh Kumar
SIR will ensure no eligible elector is left out and no ineligible elector is included in the poll rolls, says CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
4:38 PM
First phase of SIR completed in Bihar with zero appeals: CEC Gyanesh Kumar
Political parties have raised the issue of quality of electoral rolls on several occasions, says CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
4:26 PM
News updates: Objective of SIR is to include every voter in the exercise, says CEC Gyanesh Kumar
4:17 PM
News updates: EC presser on pan-India SIR to begin shortly
3:58 PM
Delhi to bar entry of non-BS-VI compliant vehicles registered outside city
All commercial goods vehicles registered outside Delhi that are not BS-VI compliant will be prohibited from entering the national capital from November 1, in line with the CAQM's directions. The BS-VI compliant vehicles meet stricter emission standards are expected to curtail pollution. A public notice issued by the transport department said BS-IV commercial goods vehicles will be permitted to enter Delhi only for a limited period, up to October 31, 2026, as a transitional measure.
3:43 PM
Kabir Das' teachings deeply relevant today: UP CM Yogi Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said the teachings of Sant Kabir Das continue to hold deep relevance in the modern age, urging people to embrace his message of simplicity, equality and righteous conduct in everyday life. Addressing a gathering at the Smriti Mahotsav Mela 2025 at Kabirdham Ashram in Lakhimpur Kheri, Adityanath said, "When we recall Sant Kabir Das, we remember a medieval sage who, through his fearless words and verses, introduced the path of 'nirgun bhakti' (devotion without form) and helped common people understand the union of soul and the divine in simple, local language."
3:03 PM
Dubai-bound pvt flight diverted to Chennai following 'technical snag'
A Dubai-bound private flight from Madurai was diverted here following a "technical snag". The "snag" was detected mid-air and the flight with 160 passengers subsequently landed safely at the airport here, they added.
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First Published: Oct 27 2025 | 8:51 AM IST