SIR in Karnataka: Just 9% of deleted voters apply to return

The reported 9% is a comparison between 10.07 lakh Form 6 applications and 1.07 crore voters removed from the draft rolls under ASDDO. It is not a confirmed share of deleted voters who successfully returned. Applications still needed verification and processing before inclusion in the final rolls.

The denominator covers voters classified as absent, shifted, dead or duplicate. But the numerator includes every eligible person using Form 6 who was not enrolled elsewhere. That includes first-time voters who had never appeared on the rolls. Therefore, some applications cannot represent recovery from the ASDDO deletions.

The exact recovery rate remains unknown. The CEO’s office said the database was with the Election Commission of India, so the state office could not identify how many Form 6 applicants had actually been deleted under ASDDO. The 9% figure therefore gives an inflated picture of replacement.

A Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, is a thorough review of electoral rolls. Its purpose is to check who should remain enrolled and to update the list before a final version is published. This matters because the roll determines which eligible people can appear as registered voters.

In Karnataka, the rolls were frozen on June 16 for the SIR. A freeze creates a fixed starting point for the revision. Officials could then examine voters placed in the ASDDO category and receive claims or objections from people seeking inclusion. Deleted voters had to use Form 6 as a new application.

The process was still underway when the figures were reported. Applications received by the Sept 23 deadline were to be verified and processed. The final SIR rolls were due on Oct 27, after which the CEO’s office planned a further mop-up exercise.

ASDDO is an abbreviation for absent, shifted, dead or duplicate. It groups voter records that officials identified as potentially unsuitable for continued inclusion at the recorded address. The category was used during Karnataka’s special intensive revision of electoral rolls.

The draft rolls removed 1.07 crore voters under ASDDO. A person could fall into the category for different reasons: they might no longer be found at the address, have moved, have died, or have another duplicate record. The category therefore covered both people who had become ineligible at that location and records needing correction.

Removal from the draft did not necessarily end an eligible person’s chance to return. Before the claims and objections deadline of Sept 23, an affected voter had to file Form 6 as a new voter. That application then required verification before possible inclusion in the final rolls.

Form 6 is an application for inclusion in the electoral roll. It is available to people who are not enrolled elsewhere, including eligible voters whose names were removed during Karnataka’s SIR. The form provides a formal way to ask officials to add a name.

For voters deleted under ASDDO, Form 6 had a special importance. They could not simply rely on their old entry, because that entry had been struck from the draft rolls. Filing Form 6 treated the request as a new inclusion application. Officials could then verify the person’s eligibility and details.

The deadline for claims and objections was Sept 23. Of 10.07 lakh applications received overall, 7.86 lakh arrived before that deadline, according to the chief electoral officer. Once verified and processed, applicants will also be included in the final SIR rolls.

Return rates varied sharply across Karnataka. The figures compare Form 6 applications with ASDDO deletions, showing how many applications arrived relative to the number removed in each area. They do not prove that every applicant had previously been deleted, because Form 6 also covers first-time voters.

Udupi had the highest reported rate, at 26.3%, and was the only district above 25%. Dakshina Kannada followed at 23.6%, Uttara Kannada at 18.2%, Chikkamagaluru at 16.3%, and Tumakuru at 16.1%. These figures were based on CEO data available until Oct 16.

Bengaluru appeared much weaker. Form 6 applications equalled 4.6% of ASDDO deletions in BBMP South, 5.6% in BBMP Central, and 6.1% in BBMP North. Bellary recorded 6.6%, while Bengaluru Urban recorded 6.7%, making Bengaluru likely to have the lowest replacement rate.

Form 6 applications are not automatically accepted. They must first be verified and processed by election officials. Applicants who meet the requirements will then be included in the final SIR rolls. Of the total 10.07 lakh applications, 7.86 lakh were received before the Sept 23 claims and objections deadline.

The final rolls were scheduled for publication on Oct 27. This step will show which applications result in actual additions. It will also provide a clearer picture of how many eligible voters were restored after the ASDDO deletions, although the article notes that the state office cannot currently identify which applicants came from that category.

The CEO’s office plans a mop-up exercise after the final rolls appear. It will seek to enrol eligible voters who were missed during the main process. The plan matters especially in Bengaluru, where Form 6 applications were low compared with ASDDO deletions.

Accurate electoral rolls matter because they identify the people entitled to participate in an election. The list must remove invalid or duplicate records while retaining eligible voters. If it is wrong, the formal right to vote may not translate into a practical opportunity to cast a ballot.

In Karnataka, 1.07 crore names were struck from draft rolls under ASDDO. Some records may have represented people who were absent, shifted, dead or duplicates. But an eligible voter can also be missed or wrongly classified. For those deleted under ASDDO, filing Form 6 was the only route back before Sept 23.

The low application rate raises concern about possible exclusion, especially in Bengaluru’s urban constituencies. Applications still needed verification before final inclusion. The planned mop-up after Oct 27 is intended to enrol voters overlooked during the revision.