Uttar Pradesh Finalises Panchayat Voter List With 12.58 Crore Electors, Introduces Unique 9-Digit Voter ID

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has taken a major step towards conducting long-awaited panchayat elections with the release of the final voter list. After extensive verification and disposal of claims and objections, the State Election Commission has finalized the electoral roll and introduced a significant reform by assigning a unique nine-digit identification number to every voter.

According to the commission, 12.58 crore voters are now eligible to participate in the panchayat elections, compared to 12.29 crore before the revision process. The updated list reflects a net increase of more than 29 lakh voters across the state.

During the revision exercise, over 2.32 crore new voters were added to the rolls, while more than 2.03 crore names were deleted due to duplication, migration, death, and other reasons. In the final phase of scrutiny, over 11 lakh names were removed following the settlement of claims and objections.

Despite the release of the list, many voters reported difficulties downloading their details due to technical glitches on the election commission’s portal. Officials have indicated that the issues are temporary and efforts are underway to restore smooth access.

The election schedule, however, remains uncertain. The tenure of village heads ended on May 26, and in the absence of elections, the state government has allowed outgoing gram pradhans to continue as administrators for six months.

Meanwhile, the issue of reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) continues to influence the election timeline. The state government has constituted a commission to conduct a district-wise review of the social and economic status of OBC communities and submit its recommendations.

Adding further complexity, a petition seeking early panchayat elections is pending before the Allahabad High Court. The court has directed the OBC commission to present its report in July, potentially accelerating the election process.

With legal, political, and administrative factors at play, the roadmap to Uttar Pradesh’s next panchayat elections remains closely watched.

Published on: Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 11:33 PM IST