Karnataka electoral roll revision extended to Aug 8; EF distribution hits 95.69%
Synopsis
Karnataka's voter roll cleanup is moving at scale — over 95% of 5.54 crore electors have received Enumeration Forms, and the ECI has pushed the BLO verification deadline to 8 August. With nearly 3.85 lakh deceased electors and over 8 lakh permanently shifted voters already flagged, the revision could meaningfully reshape the state's electoral database before final rolls are published on 19 October 2026.
Key Takeaways
The ECI has extended Karnataka's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) house-to-house verification deadline to 8 August 2026 .
5,30,42,667 Enumeration Forms distributed — 95.69% of Karnataka's 5,54,32,314 registered electors.
44,798 polling stations ( 75.86% ) have achieved 100% EF distribution .
2,25,60,605 forms ( 40.70% ) digitised so far; 2,11,138 electors submitted forms online.
Verification has identified 3,85,086 deceased electors , 8,35,251 permanently shifted, and 1,52,323 untraceable or absent.
Draft electoral rolls due 17 August 2026 ; final rolls to be published 19 October 2026 .
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has extended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka until 8 August 2026, while retaining 1 October 2026 as the qualifying date for the exercise. According to data released by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, 5,30,42,667 Enumeration Forms (EFs) have been distributed so far — covering 95.69 per cent of the state's total electorate of 5,54,32,314 registered as of 16 June 2026.
Revised Schedule at a Glance
The house-to-house verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), which commenced on 30 June 2026, will now run through 8 August 2026. Rationalisation and re-arrangement of polling stations will also be completed by that date.
The draft electoral rolls are scheduled for publication on 17 August 2026, after which electors may file claims and objections until 16 September 2026. The notice phase and disposal of claims will continue through 15 October 2026, with the final electoral rolls set for publication on 19 October 2026.
Distribution and Digitisation Progress
Of Karnataka's total polling stations, 44,798 stations — representing 75.86 per cent of the total — have achieved 100 per cent EF distribution. A further 6,932 polling stations (11.74 per cent) have recorded distribution exceeding 90 per cent.
On the digitisation front, 2,25,60,605 forms have been processed digitally — equivalent to 40.70 per cent of the electorate — with digitisation running simultaneously alongside field enumeration. Of these, 22 polling stations have completed full digitisation and 2,056 have crossed the 90 per cent mark. Additionally, 2,11,138 electors (0.38 per cent) submitted their forms online.
Key Findings from Verification
The field enumeration has surfaced significant data on electoral roll accuracy. Authorities have flagged 1,49,952 electors under the ASDDO category, while 1,52,323 electors have been marked as untraceable or absent and 8,35,251 identified as permanently shifted.
The exercise has also recorded 3,85,086 deceased electors, 73,031 individuals already enrolled elsewhere, and 4,261 cases classified under 'others' — underscoring the scale of roll-cleaning this revision aims to achieve.
What Comes Next
The ECI has emphasised that the revised timeline is aimed at ensuring a comprehensive and transparent revision process for Karnataka's voters. With draft rolls due in mid-August and a final publication date of 19 October 2026, the exercise is on course to deliver a cleaner, updated electoral database ahead of any future electoral events in the state.
Point of View
More than 8 lakh permanently shifted, and over 1.5 lakh untraceable — points to how significantly electoral rolls can drift between revision cycles. The ECI's decision to extend the BLO verification window is pragmatic, but the real test is whether digitisation, currently at just 40.70%, catches up in time to inform a credible draft roll by 17 August. Karnataka's voter base of over 5.54 crore makes any systematic error consequential. The October 2026 final publication timeline leaves little room for a second correction pass if the current data sweep misses pockets of the electorate.
NationPress
15 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the ECI extended Karnataka's electoral roll revision deadline?
The Election Commission of India extended the house-to-house BLO verification deadline to 8 August 2026 to allow for a more comprehensive and transparent revision of Karnataka's electoral rolls. The extension retains 1 October 2026 as the qualifying date and keeps the final roll publication on track for 19 October 2026.
What is the current status of Enumeration Form distribution in Karnataka?
As of the latest figures, 5,30,42,667 Enumeration Forms have been distributed, covering 95.69% of Karnataka's 5,54,32,314 registered electors. A total of 44,798 polling stations have achieved 100% distribution.
When will Karnataka's final electoral rolls be published?
The final electoral rolls are scheduled for publication on 19 October 2026. Draft rolls will be published on 17 August 2026, with a claims and objections window open from 17 August to 16 September 2026.
How many deceased or shifted electors have been identified in the Karnataka revision?
Verification has identified 3,85,086 deceased electors, 8,35,251 permanently shifted electors, and 1,52,323 electors who are untraceable or absent. An additional 73,031 individuals were found to be enrolled elsewhere.
What is the ASDDO category mentioned in the Karnataka electoral roll data?
The ASDDO category refers to electors flagged during field verification for specific demographic or address-related discrepancies requiring further scrutiny. Karnataka's revision has identified 1,49,952 electors under this category, according to data from the Chief Electoral Officer's office.
