Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer Clarifies Special Intensive Revision (SIR) Goals Amid Migration Concerns
मुख्य बातें
- •Karnataka’s SIR exercise is focused on inclusion and purification of electoral rolls, not deletions, according to CEO V. Anbu Kumar.
- •Over 88% of electoral mapping, including progeny mapping, is complete in Karnataka as of May 27, 2026.
- •A total of 69,944 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) have been appointed, with Congress nominating 36,213, BJP 31,115, and JD(S) 2,616.
- •Notices will only be served in cases of “logical discrepancies,” and voters submitting enumeration forms will have their names included in the draft electoral roll.
Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V. Anbu Kumar has categorically stated that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise is not intended for deletions but is focused on inclusion and purification of electoral rolls. Speaking at a media workshop in Bengaluru on May 27, 2026, ahead of the SIR rollout, Kumar emphasized the objective of the exercise: “SIR is aimed at inclusion. It is aimed at purifying rolls, to get clear, pure electoral data.”
The SIR process is part of a nationwide mapping exercise, and Karnataka has claimed a leading position, with over 88% completion in electoral mapping, including progeny mapping, as of May 27, 2026. Despite this progress, concerns have been raised by the Congress government regarding potential deletions in districts with high migration rates. Civil society groups have also alleged that the SIR exercise may lead to arbitrary mass deletions. However, Kumar dismissed these concerns, asserting that the process strictly adheres to Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines. He stated, “I don’t know and could not comment on the future of the electoral rolls,” while reiterating that the process is being conducted as per the ECI’s directives.
