Key highlights
- ECI has formally tied electoral roll revision schedules to 01 January 2026 as the qualifying date in multiple states/UTs via an official update. Press Information Bureau
- A specific 15 January “high-level review” date is not publicly confirmed in official releases (so treat it as a watch-item, not a fact).
When India prepares for elections, it starts where legitimacy begins: the voter list. An ECI update has officially revised schedules for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in certain states/UTs, explicitly referencing 01.01.2026 as the qualifying date. Press Information Bureau
So yes—ECI machinery is already moving.
But a reader-friendly warning: don’t lock onto a single “review meeting” date unless ECI itself publishes it. The real story is broader:
- rolls must be clean
- EVM logistics must be audited
- security plans must match ground realities
- and trust must be earned before the first vote is cast
Nationalism here means institutional respect: India’s elections are the largest civic exercise on earth, and they only work when process beats propaganda.
