Karnataka SIR: Over 50% enumeration forms distributed in 5 days
Synopsis
Despite political pushback from Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and the Karnataka BJP, the state's Special Intensive Revision is moving fast — over 2.78 crore enumeration forms distributed in five days, covering more than half of Karnataka's 5.54 crore registered electors. With BLOs already flagging nearly 29,000 ASDDO discrepancies, the exercise is surfacing real roll irregularities even as critics demand it be scrapped.
Key Takeaways
2,78,21,970 Enumeration Forms — 50.19% of Karnataka's total electorate — distributed within the first five days of the SIR exercise.
The house-to-house enumeration runs from 30 June to 29 July 2026 across Karnataka .
6,352 polling stations have completed 100% distribution; 5,538 have crossed the 90% mark.
28,611 electors identified under the ASDDO (absent, shifted, dead, duplicate) category by Booth Level Officers.
Kumaraswamy has demanded the SIR be scrapped, calling it lacking in credibility; Karnataka BJP has filed a formal complaint with the State Election Commission.
Karnataka's total registered electorate stands at 5,54,32,314 as on 16 June 2026 .
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka has gathered significant momentum despite ongoing political controversy, with more than half of all Enumeration Forms (EFs) distributed to voters within the first five days of the house-to-house verification drive, according to data released by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka.
Key Progress Figures
As of the latest progress report, 2,78,21,970 Enumeration Forms — accounting for 50.19 per cent of the total electorate — have been distributed across the state. The house-to-house enumeration exercise runs from 30 June to 29 July 2026, with simultaneous digitisation of the collected forms.
Among polling stations, 6,352 (representing 10.76 per cent) have achieved 100 per cent distribution of Enumeration Forms, while 5,538 polling stations (9.38 per cent) have crossed the 90 per cent distribution mark.
Digitisation and Online Submissions
On the digitisation front, 17,88,330 Enumeration Forms — or 3.23 per cent of the total electorate — have been processed digitally so far. Two polling stations have completed 100 per cent digitisation, and seven have crossed the 90 per cent threshold. Separately, 77,624 electors (0.14 per cent of the electorate) have submitted their forms through the online portal.
ASDDO Discrepancies Identified
Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have flagged 28,611 electors under the ASDDO (absent, shifted, dead, and duplicate) category during the verification exercise. Of these, 433 were found untraceable or absent, 11,697 had permanently shifted residence, 13,859 were reported deceased, 2,461 were found to be enrolled elsewhere, and 161 cases were classified under other reasons.
Karnataka's electoral roll, as on 16 June 2026, lists a total of 5,54,32,314 registered electors. The Enumeration Forms have been printed and supplied to BLOs for the ongoing revision.
Political Opposition to the SIR
The exercise has not been without friction. Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy criticised the SIR on Saturday, alleging that the process lacks credibility and demanding that it be scrapped entirely. The Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit has separately filed a complaint with the State Election Commission, seeking a fresh SIR in constituencies where discrepancies have been reported.
This comes amid a broader national debate over the integrity and pace of electoral roll revisions ahead of upcoming elections. The Election Commission has maintained that the SIR is a standard exercise aimed at verifying and updating rolls through door-to-door enumeration before the revised electoral roll is published.
Point of View
But the political noise around the Karnataka SIR is not merely obstructionist. With nearly 29,000 ASDDO flags raised in the opening days alone, the exercise is surfacing genuine roll irregularities — which is precisely why opposition parties are nervous. Kumaraswamy's demand to scrap the process entirely, rather than fix specific discrepancies, risks looking like an attempt to preserve a status quo that benefits incumbents. The BJP's more measured complaint — seeking a fresh SIR where errors are found — is a stronger democratic argument. The Election Commission's credibility here hinges on transparent, real-time disclosure of the discrepancy data as the exercise concludes.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka?
The Special Intensive Revision is a door-to-door enumeration exercise conducted by the Election Commission to verify and update Karnataka's electoral rolls before publishing a revised version. It runs from 30 June to 29 July 2026 and covers all 5.54 crore registered electors in the state.
How much of the Karnataka SIR has been completed so far?
As of the latest data, 2,78,21,970 Enumeration Forms — representing 50.19% of the total electorate — have been distributed. Additionally, 17,88,330 forms have been digitised, accounting for 3.23% of the electorate.
Why is H.D. Kumaraswamy opposing the Karnataka SIR?
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has alleged that the SIR process lacks credibility and has demanded it be scrapped entirely. He raised these concerns on Saturday, though he did not specify the exact nature of the alleged irregularities in publicly available statements.
What discrepancies have been found in the Karnataka electoral rolls?
Booth Level Officers have identified 28,611 electors under the ASDDO category — those who are absent, shifted, deceased, or duplicate. Of these, 13,859 were reported dead, 11,697 had permanently shifted, 2,461 were already enrolled elsewhere, and 433 were untraceable.
What has the Karnataka BJP demanded over the SIR?
The Karnataka BJP unit has filed a complaint with the State Election Commission demanding a fresh SIR in areas where discrepancies are being reported, a more targeted demand than the outright cancellation sought by Kumaraswamy.
