Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer, R. S. Gopalan, has submitted a voluntary retirement application after the state’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise concluded.
The 1968‑born IAS officer, who entered the service in 2001, filed the request on Wednesday, 30 September 2026. Gopalan said the decision was based on personal reasons and was not related to the SIR process.
With only a year and a half remaining until his statutory retirement, Gopalan oversaw the SIR in Odisha. He described the exercise as less controversial than those conducted in other states. During the review, the Biju Janata Dal submitted several memoranda alleging that certain voters had been excluded from the voter list.
Odisha’s final electoral roll was released on Monday, 21 September 2026, concluding the state’s preparation for the upcoming elections.
