Karnataka Gears Up for Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls: 58,000 Booth Officers Trained for Voter List Overhaul

Bengaluru, September 25, 2025 – In a significant step towards ensuring clean and accurate voter lists ahead of upcoming elections, the Karnataka government has launched preparations for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, training 58,000 booth-level officers (BLOs) across the state to execute a comprehensive voter data update. The initiative, announced by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka, Manoj Kumar Meena, is part of a nationwide exercise mandated by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to address discrepancies exposed during the recent Bihar Assembly elections. While awaiting final ECI approval for the rollout schedule, Karnataka is positioning itself as a frontrunner in electoral preparedness, aiming to enhance voter inclusivity and streamline the democratic process.

The SIR program, designed to correct errors, remove duplicate entries, and include new voters, comes at a critical juncture as Karnataka anticipates local body elections and potential early Assembly polls in 2026. The state’s proactive approach follows a controversial voter list manipulation scandal in Bihar, which prompted the ECI to expedite nationwide revisions. Karnataka’s electoral machinery, already lauded for its efficiency during the 2023 Assembly elections, is leveraging technology and grassroots efforts to ensure a robust voter database, with a focus on urban apathy, youth enrollment, and marginalized communities.

Training the Backbone: 58,000 Booth Officers

The cornerstone of Karnataka’s SIR preparation is the training of 58,000 BLOs, who serve as the ground-level interface between the ECI and voters. These officers, drawn from government employees such as teachers, anganwadi workers, and revenue staff, have undergone rigorous workshops conducted in August and September 2025. The training, held across 28 districts and 224 Assembly constituencies, emphasized:

• Voter List Verification: Identifying and removing ghost voters, deceased individuals, and duplicate entries using the ECI’s Elector Verification Programme (EVP) software.
• Door-to-Door Surveys: BLOs are tasked with conducting house-to-house visits to verify voter details, update addresses, and enroll new voters, particularly those who turned 18 by October 1, 2025.
• Digital Tools: Training included hands-on sessions with the Voter Helpline App and the National Voters’ Services Portal (NVSP), enabling BLOs to assist citizens in real-time corrections and registrations.
• Inclusivity Protocols: Special focus was placed on enrolling women, third-gender voters, persons with disabilities (PwD), and migrant workers, aligning with the ECI’s “No Voter Left Behind” campaign.

According to the CEO’s office, each BLO oversees approximately 1,500 voters, covering 58,378 polling booths statewide. The training also incorporated modules on handling objections to voter deletions, ensuring transparency and adherence to ECI guidelines. “Our BLOs are the backbone of this exercise. Their role is crucial in making Karnataka’s electoral rolls error-free and inclusive,” said Meena during a press briefing in Bengaluru.

Context and Urgency: Lessons from Bihar

The push for SIR stems from the ECI’s response to irregularities in Bihar’s voter lists, where over 15 lakh duplicate and fake entries were detected in 2024, triggering a political firestorm. Karnataka, with 5.41 crore registered voters as of January 2025, aims to preempt similar issues. The state’s urban centers, particularly Bengaluru, have faced criticism for low voter turnout (below 55% in 2023) and outdated rolls due to rapid migration and urbanization. The SIR exercise targets these gaps, with a goal to increase voter registration by 5% and achieve 100% Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) coverage.

The Karnataka CEO’s office has identified key challenges, including:

• Urban Apathy: Areas like Bengaluru Urban, with 1.2 crore voters, report high numbers of unregistered eligible voters due to transient populations.
• Duplicate Entries: Preliminary audits found over 1.5 lakh potential duplicates, especially in rural districts like Belagavi and Tumakuru.
• Deceased Voters: An estimated 2 lakh names of deceased individuals remain on the rolls, necessitating verification through death registries.

To address these, the state has integrated Aadhaar linkage (on a voluntary basis) and partnered with local bodies to cross-check demographic data. The ECI’s new Electoral Roll Management System (ERMS) will also enable real-time updates, reducing manual errors.

Technology and Outreach: A Modern Approach

Karnataka’s SIR rollout is bolstered by the state’s K-GIS 2.0 platform, which integrates geo-spatial data to map voter demographics accurately. This technology, launched earlier this year, combines satellite imagery and drone mapping to track population shifts, aiding BLOs in targeting high-mobility areas like IT corridors and industrial hubs. Additionally, the state has launched a voter awareness campaign, “Matadana, Namma Hakku” (Voting, Our Right), featuring radio jingles, social media drives, and college workshops to boost youth registration.

The CEO’s office has set up 1,000 Voter Registration Centres (VRCs) across Karnataka, with extended hours during the SIR period. Mobile vans equipped with NVSP kiosks will visit remote areas, targeting tribal hamlets in Chamarajanagar and coastal villages in Udupi. Special camps are planned for November 2025 to enroll women and PwD voters, with sign language interpreters and wheelchair-accessible booths.

Political and Civic Response

Political parties have welcomed the SIR initiative but urged transparency. The ruling Congress, led by Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, emphasized that the revision will strengthen democratic trust. “A clean voter list ensures fair elections. We support the ECI’s efforts and urge citizens to cooperate,” he said. The opposition BJP, however, cautioned against arbitrary deletions, citing past allegations of voter suppression in minority-dominated areas. “The process must be inclusive and free from bias,” said state BJP chief B.Y. Vijayendra.

Civil society groups, including the Karnataka Election Watch, have praised the training efforts but called for stricter monitoring of BLO performance. “BLOs must be held accountable for delays or errors. The ECI should publish district-wise progress reports,” said activist Priya Menon.

Next Steps and Timeline

While the ECI is yet to finalize the SIR schedule, Karnataka expects the exercise to commence in November 2025, with a draft electoral roll publication by December. Citizens will have a 21-day window to file claims and objections, followed by the final roll release in January 2026. The state aims to add 10 lakh new voters, including 4 lakh first-time voters, and remove 3 lakh erroneous entries.

As Karnataka prepares for this electoral overhaul, the focus remains on empowering its 58,000 BLOs to deliver a voter list that reflects the state’s diverse and dynamic population. With technology, training, and public participation at its core, the SIR initiative promises to set a benchmark for electoral integrity in India.

(This report is based on official statements from the Karnataka CEO’s office, ECI directives, and stakeholder inputs as of September 25, 2025.)

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