Opposition leaders in Congress-ruled Karnataka have written to the Election Commission alleging “massive irregularities” in the special intensive revision of voter rolls in the state, IANS reported.
The door-to-door enumeration exercise for the revision of electoral rolls began in the state under phase three of the special intensive revision on June 30.
The Election Commission is carrying out the exercise to revise electoral rolls through house-to-house enumeration and verification of old voter data.
On Tuesday, leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular) alleged that the officials conducting the exercise in Karnataka are showing “zero regard for the approved process…undermining the very spirit of democracy”.
Booth-level officers “belonging to a particular religion are being deployed in minority areas” to conduct the voter roll revision exercise, the group led by Bharatiya Janata Party leader R Ashok said in the letter. Ashok is the leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly.
The letter said: “Religion of the booth-level officer should not matter while conducting the SIR.”
“Enumeration forms are being filled out while sitting at community halls, mosques and the residences of [booth-level officers],” the letter said. “WhatsApp groups have also been created for the same purpose and people and being encouraged to visit these community halls and mosques for the SIR process.”
It added: “Such a practice is a breach of the established SIR guidelines and raises serious concern regarding the neutrality of the electoral process.”
The Opposition leaders also raised concerns about the “pace at which the SIR exercise is being carried out”.
“The exercise started on June 30 and within six days nearly 72% of the work had already been completed,” the letter claimed. “This itself is evidence enough the SIR guidelines are not being followed.”
The Opposition parties demanded that the SIR process in Karnataka be suspended and the re-verification of enumeration forms already collected be done.
They also requested that central observers be appointed for every district to oversee the SIR process to ensure that the exercise is conducted in a “fair, transparent and impartial manner”.
Among the signatories of the letter are Union ministers HD Kumaraswamy and Prahlad Joshi.
The third phase of the special intensive revision is underway in 16 states and three Union Territories.
With this phase, the exercise will cover the entire country except Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The Election Commission said that the schedule for the revision in these regions will be announced later, considering the Census exercise and the adverse weather.
In 2025, the first phase of the voter roll revision exercise was conducted in Bihar and the second phase in 12 states and Union Territories.
Concerns have been raised that the exercise could remove eligible voters from the roll.
Several petitions were filed in the Supreme Court against the voter roll revision.
On May 27, the Supreme Court upheld the legality of the special intensive revision of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission, saying that the exercise “advances the constitutional imperative of free and fair elections”.
However, the court said that the poll panel’s inquiries for the purpose of including a person in the voter list do not mean that it can decide on whether the person is an Indian citizen.
Edited by Sneha.
You’ve read Scroll.
Now help sustain it
Scroll is funded by readers, not corporate owners. If you believe our work matters, support our newsroom. Become a member today!
We’re not driven by clicks or corporate interests – just honest, independent reporting. Keep us going. Support Scroll today!