Karnataka SIR Exercise To Send Notices To 43.8 Lakh Voters
The Election Commission is preparing a special revision of Karnataka voter records, with notices expected for 43.8 lakh voters from August 24 across the state.
Karnataka SIR notices will begin from August 24.
Around 24 lakh Bengaluru voters may receive notices.
The voter list revision targets record discrepancies.
Karnataka is set to begin a major exercise to update and verify its electoral rolls, with the Election Commission preparing to issue notices to around 43.8 lakh voters under the Special Intensive Revision process.
The exercise is scheduled to begin on August 24 and is aimed at identifying discrepancies in voter records and giving affected voters an opportunity to provide the necessary documents and correct their details.
Bengaluru is expected to account for a significant share of the notices. More than 24 lakh notices could be issued across Bengaluru city, including the BBMP North, South and Central areas as well as other parts of Bengaluru district.
The proposed verification mainly covers two groups of voters. The first includes people whose current voter details could not be mapped with the 2002 electoral database. The second covers voters whose records were mapped but contain certain technical discrepancies.
These discrepancies may include differences in a fathers name or other details appearing in the electoral records. The authorities have identified several categories of such technical issues for verification.
According to information from the office of Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Anbu Kumar, the notices could cover around 9.8 percent of the states approximately 4.5 crore voters.
The notice does not by itself mean that a voters name will be removed from the electoral roll. Those who receive one will be expected to respond within the prescribed period and submit relevant documents to establish or correct their details.
The Election Commission is also considering measures at the polling booth level to make the verification process more transparent while addressing privacy concerns. Further details about the documents required and the procedure for responding are expected as the exercise gets underway.
The Special Intensive Revision is therefore likely to become an important process for voters across Karnataka, particularly in Bengaluru, where a large number of records are expected to come under scrutiny.
