Ranchi, September 2, 2026: Applications for residential and caste certificates have increased by around 20% in Ranchi as voters whose names could not be linked to older electoral records under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process scramble to arrange documents for verification.
Voters identified as unlinked are being served notices and called before the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) for a hearing. To substantiate their claims and support verification of their voter records, many are collecting the required documents ahead of the proceedings.
The documents being used for verification include passports, residential certificates, caste certificates, matriculation certificates, birth certificates and copies of earlier SIR records.
Verification process divided into three stages
The verification exercise has been structured into three broad stages.
In the first stage, the notice issued to the voter, identity details and current electoral records are checked against each other.
The second stage focuses on details such as the voter’s name, address, date of birth and parents’ information.
In the final stage, the documents submitted by the voter are compared with older records to establish the required link.
Document requirements vary by year of birth
The documents required for verification also vary according to the voter’s year of birth.
Under the process described in the source material:
- Voters born between 1950 and 1987 are required to submit one document.
- Those born between 1987 and 2004 are required to submit two documents.
- Voters born after 2004 are required to submit a total of three original documents relating to both parents.
The documentation requirements have prompted increased footfall at circle offices, with people arriving from the morning to apply for residential and caste certificates and arrange other records needed for the verification process.
The surge in applications comes as voters seek to ensure that they have the necessary documentary support for their claims during the ongoing electoral roll revision process.
