Karnataka SIR: Draft rolls to publish Aug 24; over 1.07 crore voters may be excluded
Karnataka’s draft electoral rolls will be published on August 24. About 1.07 crore voters are proposed to be excluded under ASDDO, while notices will be issued to 43.80 lakh voters flagged for verification or anomalies.
Key takeaways
- Draft electoral rolls for Karnataka to be published on August 24 following the Special Intensive Revision.
- More than 1.07 crore voters (ASDDO) may be excluded from the draft rolls.
- 43.80 lakh voters will receive notices for verification or due to discrepancies.
- Bengaluru's draft rolls shrink from over 1.03 crore to about 56.11 lakh.
What Happened
In Karnataka, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer is set to publish the draft electoral rolls on August 24 following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The draft list is expected to include about 4.46 crore voters, while roughly 1.07 crore voters have been categorised as Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate and Outstation (ASDDO) and are proposed to be excluded from the draft rolls. Separately, notices will be issued to 43.80 lakh voters identified as having discrepancies or gaps such as not mapping to the 2002 roll data, or other anomalies.
Voters in Bengaluru face a notable shrinkage: the city’s electorate is cited as over 1.03 crore, with the draft rolls showing about 56.11 lakh voters after ASDDO removals. The final electoral roll is planned for publication on October 27, with notices and hearings to occur from August 24 to October 22. Hearing venues may be at polling stations, gram panchayat offices or nearby government premises, and notices will be issued in Kannada, English, Urdu and Marathi where appropriate.
Voters targeted by notices will need to appear in person for hearings with documents or may upload documents using QR codes on the notices. Verification may involve any of the 11 EC-approved documents plus Aadhaar for identity. In all “no mapping” cases, document verification will be conducted by the District Election Officer, and the ERO will decide on inclusion or deletion after review. A second hearing, if required, could lead to deletion if the voter does not attend. Appeals can be made to the DEO within 15 days and to the CEO within 30 days of the DEO’s order.
Why It Matters
The revisions prompt a substantial recalibration of Karnataka’s electoral register, with potential implications for voter representation in Bengaluru and other regions. The scale of ASDDO removals (over 1.07 crore) suggests a meaningful contraction of the draft rolls, which may affect campaigning, candidate outreach, and voter access during the hearing and objection window. The process emphasizes verification of mapping and personal details, alongside procedural rights to appeal corrections or deletions.
Background
The Special Intensive Revision follows standard Election Commission procedures to refresh electoral rolls. Prior steps include enumeration and the identification of voters who require verification due to discrepancies or absence in mapping to earlier roll data. The notices and hearings form part of the statutory mechanism to validate eligibility before final roll publication in October.
Key Facts
- Draft rolls to be published on August 24, 2026, by Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer.
- About 4.46 crore voters expected to feature in the draft rolls.
- Roughly 1.07 crore voters categorised as ASDDO and proposed for exclusion.
- 43.80 lakh voters to receive notices for verification or due to anomalies.
- Bengaluru electorate cited as over 1.03 crore; draft rolls show 56.11 lakh voters for the city.
- Final electoral roll slated for publication on October 27, 2026.
- Notice phase and disposal of claims/objections timeframe: August 24 to October 22, 2026.
- Hearing venues may include polling stations, gram panchayat offices, police stations or nearby government buildings.
- Notices can be issued in Kannada, English, Urdu and Marathi, depending on region.
- Voters may submit any of 11 EC-approved documents plus Aadhaar for identity; ERO/DEO perform verification in no-mapping cases.
What Happens Next
From August 24 onward, notices will be issued and hearings scheduled. Voters who fail to attend the first or second hearing may face deletion from the draft roll, with orders subject to appeal to the DEO and CEO within stated deadlines. The final roll is expected by late October, contingent on the outcome of hearing and objections.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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