KARNATAKA’S VOTER ROLLS SHRINK BY NEARLY ONE CRORE AS SIR CONCLUDES, RAISING QUESTIONS OVER ELECTORAL VERIFICATION

October 27, 2026

BENGALURU, October 27, 2026: Karnataka’s electorate has fallen by nearly one crore following the completion of the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with the final list containing 4.54 crore voters. The exercise has significantly reduced the state’s registered electorate from its earlier level of approximately 5.5 crore.

According to the final figures reported by The Times of India, Karnataka now has 4,54,55,689 registered voters, representing a reduction of approximately 99.76 lakh names. Among the entries removed during the revision, 65.45 lakh were categorised as voters who had permanently shifted from their registered addresses.

The large-scale revision follows months of enumeration, verification and scrutiny of voter records across the state. Election officials sought to identify entries associated with deceased individuals, duplicate registrations, absent voters and people who had moved away from their recorded addresses.

Bengaluru emerged as a major focal point during the exercise because of its large and mobile population. The movement of residents between neighbourhoods, districts and states presented challenges for officials attempting to establish whether voters remained at their registered addresses. Earlier stages of the revision had also prompted concerns about the possibility of genuine voters being incorrectly classified.

The reduction in the electorate has renewed attention to the accuracy of electoral records and the importance of ensuring that eligible citizens retain their voting rights. While updating electoral rolls is intended to remove outdated or ineligible entries, the process must also provide effective safeguards against the accidental exclusion of legitimate voters.

Voters are therefore encouraged to verify their names and registration details in the final electoral roll. Those who discover that their names are missing or their details are incorrect should contact the relevant electoral registration authorities and follow the prescribed procedures for correction or inclusion.

The completion of Karnataka’s SIR marks a significant administrative exercise in the preparation of electoral rolls. Its broader implications will depend not only on the removal of inaccurate entries but also on whether every eligible voter can establish their registration and exercise their democratic right without unnecessary obstacles.