Karnataka SIR: Few Inclusion Claims Rejected as Verification Continues

Karnataka’s Special Intensive Revision is moving through a crucial verification stage, with the Chief Electoral Officer saying relatively few inclusion claims have been rejected so far. Officials have received more than 19.48 lakh applications and are continuing to check documents and dispose of claims before the final electoral roll is scheduled for October 27, 2026.

The Karnataka SIR 2026 Update comes as election officials continue processing claims, objections, and document-verification cases after publishing the draft electoral roll on August 24. Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukkumar has emphasized that only a relatively small number of inclusion claims have been rejected so far, while the larger exercise remains under verification.

The claims-and-objections period closed on September 23, but disposal of cases continues through October 22. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on October 27. Recent figures show the scale of the administrative exercise: 19,48,164 applications had been received through different forms, while more than 43.8 lakh notices were generated for voters classified under no-mapping or anomaly categories.

Key Points From Karnataka SIR

1. Karnataka SIR 2026: The electoral roll stood at 5,54,32,314 electors before the revision, while the draft roll contained about 4.47 crore electors. The difference was associated with the ASDDO category, meaning Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate and Others, rather than automatically representing permanent deletion of every person in that category.
2. Claims and objections: By September 25, the CEO’s office had received 19,48,164 applications, including 7,70,988 Form 6 applications, 4,551 Form 6A applications, 61,130 Form 7 applications and 11,11,495 Form 8 applications.
3. Document verification: Officials continue examining applications and supporting documents. As of September 25, 28,80,882 hearings had reportedly been completed, while 12,82,486 remained pending.
4. Notices: The CEO’s office generated 43,82,296 notices for voters under the no-mapping and anomaly categories. Of these, 41,63,368 had been delivered, and 2,18,928 were still pending delivery as of September 25.
5. Political response: The Karnataka Congress has raised concerns about possible wrongful exclusion and sought a statewide review, polling-part-wise statistics and special verification of unmapped voters. These are party concerns and requests, rather than independently established findings.
6. Final deadline: The last hearing is scheduled for October 12, the deadline for disposal of claims and objections is October 22, and the final electoral roll is scheduled for October 27, 2026.

Karnataka SIR: CEO Explains Status of Inclusion Claims

The central issue at this stage is the difference between an application being submitted and an application being finally decided. Under the Karnataka Special Intensive Revision, voters who believe their names should be included in the electoral roll can submit the appropriate claim and supporting material.

The CEO’s clarification is significant because a claim that is still undergoing scrutiny should not automatically be treated as a final rejection. The verification process requires electoral officials to examine applications, check documents and determine whether the applicant satisfies the applicable requirements.

The latest reporting also shows that the administration is processing a very large number of cases simultaneously. With nearly 19.5 lakh applications received and more than 12.8 lakh hearings still pending as of September 25, processing time is an important factor in understanding why individual cases may remain unresolved.

Over 7.7 Lakh Form 6 Applications Received

Form 6 is particularly important for the Karnataka electoral roll 2026 because it is used for inclusion of eligible electors. The CEO’s office reported 7,70,988 Form 6 applications by September 25.

The number should be viewed in context. Form 6 applications can involve first-time voters as well as eligible people seeking inclusion after their names were not present in the draft roll. Therefore, the total cannot simply be equated with voters removed during the revision.

The Hindu’s September 25 reporting also noted that Form 6 applications remained substantially lower than the number of electors placed in the ASDDO category, while cautioning that the available figures did not identify how many applications came specifically from voters omitted from the draft roll.

Forms Received Through September 25

• Form 6: 7,70,988 applications
• Form 6A: 4,551 applications
• Form 7: 61,130 applications
• Form 8: 11,11,495 applications
• Total: 19,48,164 applications

Why Document Verification Is Taking Time

The Karnataka SIR 2026 Update is now focused heavily on verification. A simplified way to understand the process is:

Application submitted → Documents checked → ERO scrutiny → Claim disposed → Final electoral roll

A submitted application is therefore not the same as an approved claim. Electoral Registration Officers and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers must examine the information and supporting documents before making decisions.

The notice phase began in late August for voters identified under anomaly or logical-discrepancy and no-mapping categories. Officials said voters receiving notices must appear before the relevant ERO or AERO with specified documents for verification.

What Voters Should Keep Track Of

• Check whether the name appears in the draft roll.
• Check whether a notice has been issued.
• Read the category and reason stated in the notice.
• Attend the hearing within the prescribed period.
• Carry the documents specified by the election authorities.
• Check the status after the claim or objection has been disposed of.

The exact documents required can vary according to the nature of the verification. Aadhaar should therefore not be presented as the sole or universal proof of eligibility.

43.81 Lakh Voters Received SIR Notices

The notice process represents one of the largest workloads in the revision. Initially, the CEO office reported that 43,81,006 notices would be generated for voters falling under anomaly/logical-discrepancy and no-mapping categories.

By September 25, the reported generated figure had risen to 43,82,296. Of these, 41,63,368 had been delivered, while 2,18,928 remained to be delivered. Hearings for 28,80,882 cases had been completed, with 12,82,486 pending.

This helps explain why the verification stage cannot be assessed only by looking at the number of applications accepted or rejected on a single day.

What Voters Need to Do After Receiving a Notice

A notice does not by itself establish that a voter is ineligible. It indicates that the election authorities require further verification based on the relevant category.

The notice process requires affected electors to appear before the appropriate election official and submit the documents specified for their case. Earlier reporting said hearings began on September 3. At the beginning of that phase, 209 cases had been heard, and none had resulted in deletion, illustrating that the verification process was still at an early stage then.

Voters should therefore distinguish between being placed in a verification category, attending a hearing, having a claim decided, and the final status in the published electoral roll.

Congress Raises Concerns Over Possible Exclusions

Political parties have also scrutinized the process. On September 17, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee sought a statewide review, polling-part-wise statistical reports and special verification of unmapped voters. The party cited a case in Yeshvanthapura where it said only 389 of 1,016 voters were shown as valid after revision and sought an official explanation.

Congress also cited concerns about enumeration forms, incorrect classifications and responses from Booth Level Officers and Electoral Registration Officers. These statements should be understood as the party’s allegations and requests for review, rather than as findings independently established by the election authorities.

Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has separately criticized the manner in which the SIR has been conducted and called for a fresh revision, while the Election Commission’s process remains ongoing.

Reported Data Discrepancy in Form 7 Figures

Another issue requiring careful treatment is the reported difference in Form 7 figures.

The New Indian Express reported on September 26 that the draft-roll data showed 67,307 Form 7 deletion applications, whereas data subsequently shared by the CEO Karnataka office showed 61,130. The approximately 6,000-application difference was reported as requiring verification, and CEO V Anbukkumar said he would look into the matter.

This is best described as a reported data discrepancy under examination. It should not be presented as proof of wrongdoing unless an authoritative investigation establishes such a conclusion.

Karnataka SIR: Latest Numbers and Key Dates

The following figures provide a snapshot of the Karnataka voter list revision as the process moves toward finalization.

The figures come from different reporting dates, so readers should always check the date attached to each number.

Bengaluru Accounts for a Large Share of Notices

Bengaluru has been a major part of the verification workload. The supplied reporting brief identifies 9,45,798 notices for Bengaluru Urban, including 6,12,963 in BBMP North, 4,29,345 in BBMP Central and 4,17,611 in BBMP South, alongside 56,359 in Bengaluru Rural.

The large numbers illustrate why the administrative process requires time and additional personnel. The CEO office has also deployed thousands of additional electoral registration officers to help process cases where workloads are high.

Polling Station Changes and Voter Information

The revision also involved rationalization of polling stations. According to the supplied brief, the number increased from 59,050 to 60,923, with the Election Commission guideline providing for a maximum of 1,200 voters per polling station.

As a result, some electors may find changes in their polling part or serial number. Voters should therefore check the updated roll rather than relying solely on an older voter slip or previous polling-station information.

Karnataka SIR 2026 Update: What Comes Next?

The Karnataka SIR 2026 Update remains a work in progress rather than a completed assessment of the state’s voter list. Claims filed by September 23 have entered the disposal process, while hearings and verification continue.

The distinction between a draft-roll classification, a submitted claim, an ongoing verification, a rejected application and a final electoral-roll status is especially important. The latest figures show that thousands of cases are still being processed, and officials have until October 22 to dispose of claims and objections.

Important Timeline

• June 16, 2026: Electoral roll frozen for the SIR exercise.
• August 24: Draft electoral roll published.
• August 29: Notice-generation process reported to have begun.
• September 3: Hearings began.
• September 23: Claims and objections deadline.
• October 12: Final hearing scheduled.
• October 22: Disposal of claims and objections scheduled to conclude.
• October 27: Final electoral roll scheduled for publication.

When Will the Final Karnataka Electoral Roll Be Published?

The final electoral roll is scheduled for October 27, 2026. Until that stage, intermediate figures should be treated as part of an ongoing revision process.

For voters whose applications remain pending, the key issue is to follow the status provided by the relevant election authorities and respond to any notice or hearing requirement within the prescribed period.

Conclusion

Karnataka’s electoral-roll revision has entered a critical verification phase involving millions of applications, notices and hearings. The latest official figures show that substantial work remains before the final roll is published. The distinction between preliminary classifications and final decisions remains important as officials complete document checks and dispose of pending cases.

Stay updated with the latest official electoral roll developments and verify your voter status before the final publication date.