Maha: ECI extends deadline to Oct 26 for submission of claims and objections to draft electoral rolls

Mumbai, Oct 12 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday has further extended the deadline for submitting claims and objections regarding the draft electoral roll in Maharashtra. Citizens can now submit their applications and objections until October 26, 2026.

However, the final electoral roll will be published on November 16, 2026, as per the original schedule. This extension comes under the ongoing Special Summary Revision programme based on the qualifying date of October 1, 2026.

The draft electoral roll for the state was officially published on August 31, 2026.

The window for submitting claims and objections is now open from August 31 to October 26, 2026. The issuance of notices and the resolution/disposal of submitted claims and objections will take place between August 31 and November 10, 2026. The final voter list will be officially released on November 16, 2026, the release said.

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Maharashtra highlighted the importance of this extension, urging all eligible citizens and first-time voters to take advantage of the additional time.

“Voters are encouraged to utilise this period to register new names in the electoral list, correct existing errors in personal records (such as spelling, address, or age) and raise necessary claims or objections regarding entries.”

Further, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra, issued an official notice detailing ongoing measures under the Special Summary Revision drive directed by the Election Commission of India.

The initiative aims to ensure that no eligible voter in the state is left out of the electoral list. Following the publication of the draft voter rolls across all assembly constituencies on August 31, 2026, electoral authorities have been executing procedures for adding new names, deleting invalid entries, and making necessary corrections.

To facilitate hassle-free registration and verification, special four-day camps were conducted across 1,53,000 polling stations in Maharashtra on October 3, October 4, October 10, and October 11, 2026.

A dedicated 5-day special drive from October 5 to October 9, 2026, was organised in colleges and universities state-wide to encourage youth and first-time voters to enrol.

For any grievances or registration queries, citizens can directly reach out to designated electoral officials across the state, including 1,53,000 Booth Level Officers (BLO), 7,100 Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AERO), 288 Electoral Registration Officers (ERO) and 36 District Election Officers (DEO).

Reiterating its mission, the Chief Electoral Officer’s office affirmed its commitment to maintaining error-free voter lists, guaranteeing that every eligible citizen retains their right to vote.

–IANS

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