India, May 15 -- The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday directed the chief electoral officers of 16 states and 3 Union Territories to commence the third phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a controversial exercise that will cover 367 million people between the end of May and the beginning of December as part of a staggered schedule.

Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were kept out of the current phase due to ongoing census operations and weather conditions in snow-bound areas, as per the official order issued by the ECI.

First launched in Bihar late last year, SIR triggered a major electoral and legal controversy, especially after it led to the disenfranchisement of 2.71 million people...