Tamil Nadu Final Voter List 2026: 74 Lakh Names Deleted by ECI

ECI Finalizes Tamil Nadu Voter Rolls for 2026: Over 7 Million Ineligible Entries Removed

The Election Commission of India has officially released the final electoral roll for Tamil Nadu following a rigorous Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The state’s voter base has seen a net reduction of approximately 74 lakh names ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The total number of voters dropped from 6.41 crore to 5.67 crore.

This administrative exercise aims to ensure an error-free election by removing entries related to deceased individuals, duplicate registrations, and citizens who have permanently shifted residences.

Massive Cleanup Shapes New Electorate

Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik released the final list on 23 February 2026. This ended a major verification drive. An earlier draft in December showed over 97 lakh deletions; however, many people filed claims and objections later. This allowed officials to add nearly 27.5 lakh eligible voters back to the list.

"Between the claims and objections period from December 19, 2025, and January 30, 2026, 27,53,796 persons have been added to the final electoral roll as new electors through submission of Form 6," stated Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik in a briefing reported by The Hindu.

The final data shows a change in demographics. Female voters now outnumber male voters in the state. There are 2.89 crore women and 2.77 crore men on the list. Big cities saw the largest changes. In Chennai, officials removed about 35% of the previous names on account of high migration and data errors.

Sholinganallur is still the largest constituency with over 5.36 lakh voters, while Harbour constituency is the smallest with 1.16 lakh. This cleanup helps stop illegal voting and also gives a true count of active voters.

What Should You Do if Your Name Is Missing from the Tamil Nadu Voter List 2026?

If your name is missing, you can still fix it. The Election Commission started a ‘Continuous Updation’ phase today. According to The Hindu, "Starting today (23 February 2026), the continuous updation process begins... Eligible voters can get themselves enrolled by submitting Form 6 or can apply for changes."

You should check your status on the official Voter Service Portal (voters.eci.gov.in) first with the help of your EPIC number. If your name is not present, you must submit a new application using Form 6. You can do this online or at local government offices.

Some people had their applications rejected during the revision. If you belong to this category, you can file an appeal. First, talk to the District Election Officer (DEO). If that fails, you can contact the Chief Electoral Officer. Make sure you act quickly to protect your voting rights.

This revision is the biggest update to Tamil Nadu’s records in twenty years. The new data shows how the population moves and grows older. Political groups will likely argue about the large number of deletions. However, the main goal is now voter awareness.