No notice issued to C.N. Rao over SIR electoral roll revision, clarifies GBA Chief
Synopsis
A media storm over a supposed notice to 92-year-old Bharat Ratna scientist Professor C.N. Rao turned out to be a misreading of a routine electoral enumeration visit. GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao confirmed that officials personally assisted Rao's family in filling forms — and that the Booth Level Officer had already recommended retaining his name in the final voter roll, no hearing required.
Key Takeaways
GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao confirmed on 9 September that no notice was issued to Professor C.N.
Rao under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Officials, including the SVEEP nodal officer and Bengaluru West City Municipal Corporation Commissioner , personally visited Professor Rao's residence to assist with Enumeration Forms.
A name discrepancy exists: Professor Rao was recorded as 'Ram' in the 2002 electoral roll of the 76-Malleswaram constituency ; he is currently listed as 'Professor C.N.
Rao M' in the 157-Malleswaram constituency .
The Booth Level Officer (BLO) recommended retaining Professor Rao's name in the final electoral roll, citing his status as a 'respected person' .
Steps have been initiated to include Professor C.N.
Rao's name in the final electoral roll .
No notice has been issued to Bharat Ratna awardee and celebrated scientist Professor C.N. Rao in connection with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bengaluru, the city's top election official clarified on Wednesday, 9 September. Maheshwar Rao, Bengaluru City District Election Officer and Chief Commissioner of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), issued the clarification after media reports incorrectly claimed the 92-year-old scientist had been served a notice over a name discrepancy in voter records.
What Actually Happened at Professor Rao's Residence
According to Maheshwar Rao, officials — including the state's SVEEP nodal officer and the Commissioner of the Bengaluru West City Municipal Corporation — personally visited Professor C.N. Rao's residence as part of the SIR exercise. They delivered Enumeration Forms in person and assisted the family in filling in the required details. No summons, no hearing notice, and no demand for identity proof was issued to the scientist.
The Name Discrepancy in Electoral Records
The confusion stemmed from a long-standing inconsistency in Professor Rao's voter registration history. As per the Election Officer, Professor C.N. Rao was first listed as an elector in Part No. 129, Serial No. 431 of the electoral roll of the erstwhile 76-Malleswaram Assembly constituency in 2002, where his name was recorded simply as 'Ram'.
He is currently registered in Part No. 59, Serial No. 187 of the 157-Malleswaram Assembly constituency under the name 'Professor C.N. Rao M', and this name has been included in the draft electoral roll. Media reports had separately claimed that an older entry read 'Prof C.N.R. Rao' while a current entry carried a typographical error — 'Proff C.N.R. Rao' — with an additional 'f' in the professional title, reportedly triggering a 'self-name mismatch' flag.
How the Booth Level Officer Handled the Case
Despite the documented discrepancy in name records, Maheshwar Rao was categorical: the Booth Level Officer (BLO) did not issue any notice to Professor Rao in connection with the SIR hearing process. Recognising the scientist's standing as a 'respected person', the BLO instead recommended that his name be retained and included in the final electoral roll. Necessary steps have since been initiated to formalise that inclusion, the Election Officer confirmed.
Setting the Record Straight
The episode highlights the risks of miscommunication during large-scale electoral verification drives. The SIR process, currently underway across Karnataka, involves door-to-door enumeration and reconciliation of voter data — a routine but administratively complex exercise. This is not the first time a high-profile individual has been inadvertently caught in the crossfire of voter roll clean-up drives, with media reports occasionally conflating routine enumeration visits with formal legal notices.
Notably, the clarification from GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao effectively closes the chapter on reports that Professor C.N. Rao — one of India's most decorated scientists and a Bharat Ratna recipient — had been summoned to establish his identity at a hearing near the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Malleshwaram.
Point of View
The SIR process, however well-intentioned, carries real reputational risk when its mechanics are not communicated clearly to the public, especially when high-profile citizens are involved. The fact that a BLO had to invoke the category of 'respected person' to avoid issuing a standard notice also raises a quiet question: does the process treat all voters with the same procedural sensitivity, regardless of stature?
NationPress
9 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Was a notice actually issued to Professor C.N. Rao over the electoral roll discrepancy?
No. GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao clarified on 9 September that no notice was issued to Professor C.N. Rao in connection with the SIR electoral roll revision. Officials instead visited his residence personally to assist with the Enumeration Forms.
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a periodic door-to-door exercise conducted by election authorities to update, verify, and correct voter registration data. It is currently underway across Karnataka and involves Booth Level Officers visiting registered electors to reconcile discrepancies.
What name discrepancy exists in Professor C.N. Rao's voter records?
Professor C.N. Rao was listed as 'Ram' in the 2002 electoral roll of the erstwhile 76-Malleswaram Assembly constituency. He is currently registered as 'Professor C.N. Rao M' in the 157-Malleswaram constituency. Media reports also cited a typographical error — 'Proff C.N.R. Rao' with an extra 'f' — in one version of the records.
What action has been taken to resolve Professor Rao's voter registration issue?
The Booth Level Officer recommended that Professor C.N. Rao's name be retained in the final electoral roll without a hearing, given his standing. The GBA Chief Commissioner confirmed that necessary steps have been initiated to include his name in the final roll.
Who is Professor C.N. Rao?
Professor C.N. Rao is a 92-year-old eminent Indian scientist and recipient of the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. He is associated with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru and is widely regarded as one of the country's foremost researchers in solid-state and materials chemistry.
