Kerala's Electoral Revolution: How Linking 2002 to 2025 Lists Changes Voting

District Collector Anu Kumari said, "SIR activity has been kick-started in Kerala. Yesterday, we started distributing the forms up to the 4th of December, there is a 1-month period during which the enumeration forms must be distributed to all households. BLOs are going to each and every household and distributing the forms, helping the people to fill the form and then taking back the filled forms. Some details, like the voter's name, epic number, and photograph, are pre-printed on the form. The voter needs to fill in simple details such as date of birth and mobile number. The crucial step is linking the 2025 list to the 2002 list. If people from the 2002 list are included, their details, such as the epic number, must be filled in the form."

"Once completed, linking is established. This method is emphasised for most people, with no need to submit documents. The second group includes people not on the 2002 list, with no relatives such as parents, uncles, or cousins listed. Notices will be issued, giving time to submit documents. They will undergo physical verification by the BLO, with the final decision by the ERO," she further said.

She said that for the majority of people, the process would be to establish a link, linking them to 2002 and including their name in the draft electoral roll.

She further added, "People temporarily away from their ward can have their parents or relatives fill the form for them if they live in the same house. If not, they can fill and submit the form online there."

The Second phase of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has started in 12 States and Union Territories on Tuesday, with Booth Level Officers (BLO) distributing enumeration forms door-to-door.

The distribution of enumeration forms marks the beginning of the SIR exercise covering the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Election Commission of India (ECI) had announced the second phase of the SIR exercise on October 27, with the final voter list to be published on February 7, 2026.

According to the Election Commission, printing and training took place from October 28 to November 3, followed by an Enumeration Phase from November 4 to December 4.

The Draft Electoral Rolls will be published on December 9, followed by a claims and objection period from December 9 to January 8, 2026. The Notice Phase (for hearing and verification) will take place between December 9 and January 31, 2026, with publication of Final Electoral Rolls on February 7, 2026.

Drawing on experience from the first phase of SIR in Bihar, the ECI has also decided that the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit households up to three times for the matching and linking of forms.

"If the elector is not available or there is a delay in matching and linking, the BLOs will visit the houses a total of three times. Electors can also fill out the forms online. If their names, or their father's or mother's names, were not available on the 2003 list, the ERO will determine eligibility based on the indicative documents," Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said in the press conference on October 27.

However, the exercise attracted opposition in the States of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

- ANI