Abstract: Migration constitutes one of the most transformative forces in India’s demographic and political landscape. Internal labor mobility, particularly the movement of unskilled and semi-skilled workers across state borders, has long been central to the country’s economic growth but remains insufficiently acknowledged in governance and electoral processes. The Election Commission’s recent Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls highlights the paradox of migrants’ democratic invisibility: while these workers sustain urban economies, they often remain disenfranchised, maintaining voter identity in villages of origin but lacking representation in cities of destination. This article examines historical shifts in migration streams from pre-colonial localized economies to colonial plantation and industrial systems, and further into contemporary urban-industrial hubs. The analysis also highlights the intersections of migration with language politics, fertility and family structures, and caste-class dynamics. The COVID-19 pandemic and the delay of the 2021 Census underscored the acute data gaps that undermine policy-making on migrants, leaving one of India’s most critical populations undercounted and underrepresented. By weaving together historical perspectives, contemporary challenges, and policy implications, the article argues for reimagining migration not as a temporary livelihood strategy but as an essential dimension of India’s democratic and developmental framework.