The Karnataka High Court on Monday (July 27) heard a Public Interest Litigation challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the State, on the alleged ground that nearly 67 lakh voters face exclusion from the electoral rolls without any notice or opportunity to be heard.The bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K.S. Hemalekha.
Karnataka SIR: PIL Alleges 67 Lakh Voters Face Deletion Without Notice; High Court Seeks Clarification on Supreme Court Directions
Bengaluru, July 27, 2026: The Karnataka High Court on Monday heard a Public Interest Litigation challenging the Election Commission of India's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. The petitioners alleged that nearly 67 lakh voters could face exclusion from the electoral rolls without being given prior notice or a meaningful opportunity to present their case.
The matter was heard by a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K.S. Hemalekha.
According to the petitioners, several voters have been placed in categories such as "Absent," "Shifted," "Dead" and "Others", with concerns that names could be removed from the electoral rolls without individual communication or an opportunity for affected electors to respond.
The petitioners also questioned the use of the "Others" category, arguing that it is not clearly defined and could result in subjective classification. They sought directions to the Election Commission to establish transparent and objective criteria and to ensure that no voter is removed without communicating the reasons in writing.
The PIL further raised concerns over voters allegedly being marked under a "logical discrepancy" category without adequate prior notice. The petitioners urged the authorities to make the criteria for such classification public.
The petitioners also challenged the timeline prescribed for the SIR exercise, arguing that the time available for the various stages of the revision was insufficient. They sought an extension of the period for each stage and requested the establishment of voter facilitation centres at polling stations to help citizens verify their details and address discrepancies.
During the hearing, the petitioners reportedly referred to directions of the Supreme Court concerning due process in the deletion of names from electoral rolls. The Karnataka High Court sought clarification regarding the scope and applicability of the Supreme Court's directions to the ongoing SIR exercise.
The petitioners further submitted that the Karnataka Government had raised similar concerns before the Election Commission in a communication dated June 15, 2026, but alleged that no response had been received.
The SIR exercise in Karnataka is being conducted by the Election Commission to verify and update electoral rolls through house-to-house enumeration and other verification processes. More than 59,000 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been deployed across the state for the exercise, which covers more than 5.5 crore electors.
The PIL has brought renewed attention to the balance between maintaining accurate and credible electoral rolls and ensuring that genuine voters are not inadvertently excluded. The case, Devanura Mahadeva & Ors. v. Election Commission of India & Ors. (W.P. No. 22330/2026), is being closely watched as the court considers the legal safeguards and procedural requirements applicable to the SIR process.
The proceedings are significant for millions of voters across Karnataka, as the outcome could have implications for the manner in which electoral roll revisions, voter verification and deletion procedures are carried out in the state.
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