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Karnataka SIR Drive to Cover 5.55 Crore Voters; 59,000 BLOs Deployed

Karnataka's Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbukumar announced that 59,050 Booth Level Officers will conduct a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls covering 5.55 crore voters. The revision, ordered by the Election Commission of India, will use a qualifying date of October 1, 2026. House-to-house enumeration will occur from June 30 to July 29, with the draft roll published on August 5 and the final roll on October 7, 2026. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed the state's preparations for the exercise.

Key Points: Karnataka Voter Revision: 5.55 Crore Electors, 59,000 BLOs

  • 59,050 Booth Level Officers deployed
  • Covers 5,55,74,064 electors
  • House-to-house visits from June 30 to July 29
  • Draft roll on Aug 5, final on Oct 7, 2026
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Karnataka SIR drive to cover over 5.55 crore voters; over 59,000 BLOs to be deployed

Karnataka's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls will cover 5.55 crore voters with 59,050 BLOs. Draft roll on Aug 5, final on Oct 7, 2026.

"We will also make the necessary preparations for the exercise. - Siddaramaiah"

Bengaluru, May 15

The Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka V. Anbukumar, has stated that 59,050 Booth Level Officers will be involved in the revision process across the State. The Special Intensive Revision is expected to cover approximately 5,55,74,064 electors in Karnataka as of May 12, 2026.

The Chief Electoral Officer's office has appealed to voters to cooperate fully with BLOs during the house-to-house verification exercise.

It may be noted that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the conduct of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka as part of a nationwide revision exercise covering 16 States and three Union Territories.

According to a statement issued by the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, the revision in the State will be undertaken with reference to the qualifying date of October 1, 2026, as notified by the ECI on May 14, 2026.

The revision process in Karnataka will commence with preparation, training, and printing activities from June 20 to June 29, 2026. House-to-house visits by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) for the distribution and collection of enumeration forms will be carried out from June 30 to July 29, 2026.

The rationalisation of polling stations will be completed by July 29, while the draft electoral roll will be published on August 5, 2026.

The period for filing claims and objections has been scheduled from August 5 to September 4, 2026. The notice phase and disposal of claims and objections will continue till October 3, 2026, and the final electoral roll will be published on October 7, 2026.

The Election Commission described the revision exercise as a participative and transparent process involving electors, political parties, and election officials. During the revision, BLOs will conduct house-to-house visits for distributing and collecting enumeration forms.

At present, 25,284 Booth Level Agents (BLAs) have been appointed by recognised political parties. The Commission has urged all recognised political parties to appoint BLAs for every polling station to ensure active participation and transparency in the process.

Further details regarding the revision process, forms, and schedules will be made available on the official websites of the District Election Officers, the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, and the Election Commission of India.

The statement also noted that under Section 14(b) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the qualifying dates for preparation or revision of electoral rolls are January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 of the relevant year.

Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, Siddaramaiah said the exercise would soon begin in Karnataka. "We will also make the necessary preparations for the exercise," he added.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Appreciate the transparency with political parties appointing Booth Level Agents. But honestly, in rural Karnataka, some BLOs just fill forms without visiting homes. Hope the ECI ensures proper training and monitoring this time. And that qualifying date of October 1, 2026, is good for young voters turning 18.
M
Michael C
Impressive scale! 5.55 crore voters—that's like the population of several countries combined. The timeline from June to October seems well-structured. As someone who follows Indian elections from abroad, it's fascinating how detailed the process is. Hope the BLOs are adequately compensated for their hard work.
K
Kavya N
Finally some good news! Last election, my name was missing from the rolls even though I'd registered. Hope this SIR fixes such issues. Also, why only 25,284 BLAs when there are over 59,000 polling stations? Political parties need to appoint more agents to ensure no one gets left out. 🤔
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Rajesh Q
As a BLO myself, I can say this is a lot of work! We have to cover every house, distribute forms, collect them, do verification—all while managing our regular jobs. The August 5 to September 4 claims period is short. Hope citizens cooperate and keep documents ready. And please, no harassment of BLOs.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see the qualifying date is October 1, 2026. So if you turn 18 before that, you can vote in the next election. The ECI is really trying to include everyone. Hope the online portal works smoothly for claims and objections. Digital India should make this easier!

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