Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara on Saturday, 19 September 2026, raised alarm over the potential deletion of approximately 1.7 crore names from the state's electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, warning that no eligible voter should be stripped of their right to vote. Speaking in Tumakuru, Parameshwara said the matter had been taken up at the highest levels of the party.

What Parameshwara Said

"When you know that 1.7 crore voters' names will be deleted, naturally it is a big concern for us. No voter should lose their right to vote," he said. Parameshwara added that the Congress high command had discussed the SIR issue prominently during recent deliberations in Bengaluru, and that he had been specifically directed to examine the matter seriously.

He drew a careful distinction, however, between legitimate and potentially unlawful deletions. The removal of duplicate entries, names of voters who had relocated to other constituencies, and names of deceased individuals — numbering 16 lakh — were, in his view, acceptable and routine parts of any electoral roll clean-up exercise.

The Scale of Karnataka's SIR Exercise

Karnataka's Special Intensive Revision began on 30 June 2026 with house-to-house enumeration conducted by Booth Level Officers across the state. The exercise covered approximately 5.54 crore registered voters.

Following the enumeration, around 1.07 crore voters were categorised under the ASDDO classification — Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate, or Others. A draft electoral roll was subsequently published on 24 August 2026, listing 4.46 crore voters as included.

Key Deadlines for Voters

Voters whose names may have been erroneously dropped have a narrow window to act. Claims and objections can be filed until 23 September 2026, with the notice and verification process running through 22 October 2026. The final electoral roll is scheduled for publication on 27 October 2026, with 1 October 2026 as the qualifying date for voter eligibility.

Notably, this leaves just four days from Parameshwara's statement for citizens to raise objections — a timeline that critics may argue is insufficient for a state with a voter base of over five crore.

Why This Matters

The SIR exercise, while standard electoral practice, has attracted political scrutiny given the sheer volume of names flagged for potential removal. At 1.07 crore voters in the ASDDO category, Karnataka's revision is one of the largest such exercises in recent state electoral history. Opposition concerns — and now the Deputy Chief Minister's own acknowledgement — reflect a broader anxiety about whether the process could inadvertently disenfranchise genuine voters, particularly in densely populated or frequently migrant-heavy constituencies.

The final roll, expected on 27 October, will be closely watched as a test of the Election Commission's ability to balance roll accuracy with voter inclusion.