Karnataka Civil Society Urges Extension of Electoral Roll Revision

Civil society organizations in Karnataka have urged Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to intervene in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, requesting a three-month extension of the enumeration process. The groups allege large-scale illegal deletions, warning that nearly half of Bengaluru's voters could be removed and that deletions exceed 60 percent in approximately 3,000 booths.

Representatives from platforms including Eddelu Karnataka, Muslim Muthahade Mahaz, and Nagarika Matha Kavalu Samithi met with the Chief Minister to submit a formal request for fresh door-to-door verification. They argued that the process is being rushed despite no upcoming elections in the state and claimed the Election Commission of India failed to provide adequate training to Booth Level Officers or follow rules regarding residence-shift forms.

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, reported that the SIR exercise ran from June 30 to August 17, 2026. The office identified 10,796,415 electors—roughly 19.48% of the state's total electorate—under the ASDDO category (Already Shifted, Dead, Duplicate, or Otherwise). Of these, 6,545,721 were categorized as permanently shifted and 1,639,871 as deceased.

While the CEO's office claims 100% coverage in form distribution and digitization, civil society groups maintain that eligible voters, including the elderly and tenants, risk wrongful exclusion. The ASDDO list has been shared with political parties and published online, with the CEO's office stating that wrongly marked electors may seek a rollback through their registration officers.