CEO says 4.46 crore voters mapped in Karnataka, groups question SIR rollout

Of the 5.57 crore electors in Karnataka, 4.46 crore have already been mapped as part of the ongoing voter roll mapping ahead of the proposed Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Chief Electoral Officer – Karnataka V. Anbukumar told members of the coalition ‘My Vote, My Right’ on Wednesday, adding that the mapping may not be fully accurate at this stage. 

Of the 5.57 crore electors in Karnataka, 4.46 crore have already been mapped as part of the ongoing voter roll mapping ahead of the proposed Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Chief Electoral Officer – Karnataka V. Anbukumar told members of the coalition ‘My Vote, My Right’ on Wednesday, adding that the mapping may not be fully accurate at this stage. 

The meeting was held after around 20 members of the coalition gathered outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer - Karnataka, questioning the need for the SIR in the State. The coalition pointed out that the exercise was already under way in 12 States and Union Territories and must be put on hold until the Supreme Court decides on the petitions challenging it.

Mr. Anbukumar told the group that discrepancies in the mapping would become clearer only after the enumeration phase begins. He added that voters who remain unmapped may receive notices. However, according to the group, he did not give clarifications on concerns regarding the exclusion of voters during the mapping process and the SIR, stating that more details would be available only after the formal notification announcing the exercise is issued.

The coalition said it had earlier sent multiple emails to the CEO seeking details on the mapping process, but had not received a response, even as the mapping exercise has already commenced.

Following the meeting, members of the group described the CEO’s response as unsatisfactory, stating that he did not address key concerns about transparency and possible exclusions. They also flagged his remarks about working within “limitations”, saying this raised further questions about accountability. The coalition said the mapping exercise lacks transparency and should be halted, and alleged that the SIR could disproportionately affect the working poor, women, Dalits, and other marginalised communities.

The group submitted a letter to the CEO raising 16 questions. The key questions raised by the group include how the mapping is being done, the legal basis for linking voter records to the 2002 rolls, and which communities may be affected during the process. It has also asked what happens if a voter’s mapping cannot be completed and whether that would impact their right to vote.