Karnataka SIR: 77% Enumeration Forms distributed amid schoolchildren row
Synopsis
Karnataka's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has crossed 77% Enumeration Form distribution — but the numbers are only half the story. A schoolchildren-in-enumeration scandal in Belagavi and a formal NDA complaint to the Chief Election Commissioner have turned a routine voter-roll exercise into a full-blown political flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
77.18 per cent of Enumeration Forms — 4,27,82,130 out of a total tied to 5,54,32,314 electors — have been distributed as of 7 July 2026 .
17,539 polling stations have achieved 100 per cent EF distribution; 13,249 have crossed 90 per cent .
Only 7.72 per cent of forms have been digitised so far; the enumeration window runs until 29 July .
Verification has flagged 1,00,843 electors under ASDDO categories, including 42,120 deceased and 49,658 permanently shifted.
Allegations that schoolchildren were used in the enumeration in Belagavi district have triggered a formal probe by the Deputy Commissioner .
An NDA Karnataka delegation met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi , demanding suspension of SIR and appointment of Central Observers in every district.
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, reported that 77.18 per cent of Enumeration Forms (EFs) have been distributed as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state's electoral rolls — even as the exercise faces mounting political controversy over alleged procedural violations.
Key Distribution Figures
Karnataka's electoral roll, as of 16 June 2026, lists 5,54,32,314 registered electors. Of the total Enumeration Forms printed and dispatched to Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for house-to-house verification, 4,27,82,130 forms — or 77.18 per cent — have been distributed so far. The house-to-house enumeration and simultaneous digitisation exercise is scheduled to run from 30 June to 29 July.
As many as 17,539 polling stations have achieved 100 per cent distribution of Enumeration Forms, while 13,249 polling stations have crossed the 90 per cent mark. On the digitisation front, 42,81,521 forms — representing 7.72 per cent of the total — have been processed digitally. Two polling stations have completed full digitisation, and 49 others have surpassed the 90 per cent threshold.
Additionally, 1,46,143 Enumeration Forms, accounting for 0.26 per cent of the electorate, have been submitted online by voters themselves.
Verification Findings So Far
The verification process has surfaced a range of discrepancies in the electoral roll. Officials identified 1,00,843 electors under the ASDDO (Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate, and Others) category. Of these, 1,574 electors were found to be untraceable or absent, 49,658 had permanently shifted residence, 42,120 were reported deceased, 7,063 had already enrolled elsewhere, and 428 cases fell under other categories.
The Schoolchildren Controversy in Belagavi
The SIR exercise has been clouded by allegations that schoolchildren were deployed in the enumeration process at a government school in Belagavi district. The development prompted Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan to order a formal probe. This comes amid broader concerns from opposition parties about the integrity of the revision process.
NDA Delegation Meets Chief Election Commissioner
On the same day, a senior NDA Karnataka delegation met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi and submitted a detailed memorandum citing alleged irregularities in the SIR. The delegation urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to immediately suspend the SIR process, direct re-verification of all collected forms, and ensure mandatory door-to-door verification as per prescribed norms.
The memorandum stated: It is requested that Central Observers from other states be appointed for every district to oversee the entire SIR process and ensure that the revision is conducted in a fair, transparent, and impartial manner.
The delegation also demanded strict legal and disciplinary action against officials and political functionaries found responsible for procedural violations.
What Comes Next
Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbu Kumar is scheduled to address a press conference at the CEO's office in Bengaluru on Wednesday, 8 July, to provide an update on the SIR 2026 proceedings. With the enumeration window open until 29 July, the political and administrative pressure surrounding the exercise is likely to intensify before it concludes.
Point of View
But the SIR exercise in Karnataka is accumulating credibility problems faster than it is accumulating completed forms. The Belagavi schoolchildren episode — however isolated it may prove to be — hands the opposition a ready-made narrative of a compromised process. The NDA's formal memorandum to the Chief Election Commissioner is a political escalation that the ECI cannot easily ignore, especially with the digitisation rate still below 8 per cent and the verification window barely halfway through. If the ECI does not visibly tighten oversight before 29 July, the legitimacy of the revised electoral roll itself could become a contested issue well before the next election cycle.
NationPress
8 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka?
The SIR is a house-to-house verification and update exercise for Karnataka's voter rolls, covering 5,54,32,314 registered electors as of 16 June 2026 . Booth Level Officers are distributing Enumeration Forms to every household to verify, add, or remove voter entries, with the exercise running from 30 June to 29 July 2026 .
How much of the Karnataka SIR enumeration has been completed so far?
As of 7 July 2026 , 77.18 per cent of Enumeration Forms — approximately 4.27 crore — have been distributed. However, only 7.72 per cent of forms have been digitised, indicating the data-processing phase is still in early stages.
What is the controversy over schoolchildren in Belagavi?
Allegations emerged that schoolchildren were used to assist in the enumeration process at a government school in Belagavi district , which would violate prescribed norms for the SIR. Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan has ordered a formal probe into the matter.
What has the NDA demanded from the Election Commission over Karnataka's SIR?
An NDA Karnataka delegation met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi on 7 July and submitted a memorandum demanding immediate suspension of the SIR, re-verification of all collected forms, mandatory door-to-door checks, appointment of Central Observers in every district, and disciplinary action against officials found responsible for irregularities.
What discrepancies have been found in Karnataka's voter rolls during SIR verification?
Verification has so far identified 1,00,843 electors under the ASDDO category. This includes 42,120 deceased voters, 49,658 who have permanently shifted residence, 1,574 untraceable or absent electors, 7,063 enrolled elsewhere, and 428 cases under other categories.
