The draft electoral rolls for Karnataka were published on Monday, August 24, marking the next phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state's voter list. Voters have until September 23 to file claims and objections but even after that window shuts, the process isn't final: people whose claims are rejected can apply again under Form 6, according to Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukumar.
The draft roll contains 4.46 crore electors, compared with 5.54 crore electors on the roll as of June 16. More than 1.07 crore electors from the earlier roll have not been included in the draft and have instead been placed under the Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate or Others (ASDDO) category during the enumeration exercise.
However, being left out of the draft roll does not mean that a voter's name has been permanently deleted. The Election Commission has opened a claims and objections period from August 24 to September 23, during which eligible electors can seek inclusion, correct their details or object to wrongful inclusions.
Here is what voters need to do next:
The first step is to check whether your name appears in the draft electoral roll and whether your details are correct.
The draft rolls are available through the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, website, the Election Commission's voter services portal and the ECINET mobile application. Citizens can also inspect the rolls at the offices of Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) and designated local offices.
Booth-wise lists of electors whose names have not appeared in the draft roll after being classified under ASDDO, along with the probable reasons for their non-inclusion, have also been made available through EROs and the CEO Karnataka website.
If your name is in the draft roll, check details such as your name, gender, date of birth or age and address. Corrections in case of errors can be made using Form 8.
What if your name is missing?
If you were on the earlier electoral roll but your name is missing from the draft, you can submit a claim for inclusion during the claims and objections period.
This can be done using Form 6. Electors who were marked as absent or shifted during the enumeration exercise can also use Form 6 to seek inclusion at their current address, provided they are not enrolled elsewhere in India.
People who could not submit their Enumeration Form during the house-to-house enumeration phase can also use the claims period to apply for inclusion.
Those turning 18 on or before October 1, 2026, can also apply for inclusion through Form 6. Applicants must be Indian citizens, ordinarily resident at the address where they seek registration, not enrolled elsewhere in India and must submit the required documents.
Form 6 can be submitted physically to an ERO, AERO or Booth Level Officer (BLO), or online through the ECINET app and the Election Commission's voter services portal.
Which form should you use?
The form depends on what needs to be changed:
Form 6: For inclusion of a name in the electoral roll, including people whose names are missing from the draft, those who missed enumeration and eligible first-time voters.
Form 6A: For registration as an overseas elector.
Form 7: To object to the inclusion of a name or seek deletion of a name that should not be on the electoral roll, such as that of a deceased or permanently shifted elector.
Form 8: For corrections to existing entries, shifting of residence, replacement of an EPIC and marking an elector as a person with disability.
Form 8 can be used to correct up to eight types of entries, including name, gender, date of birth or age and address among others. A person can request up to four changes through a single Form 8 application.
What if you receive a notice?
A separate notice and verification process will run from August 24 to October 22.
The ERO will issue notices to electors whose previous SIR electoral roll details submitted through the Enumeration Form could not be mapped to the database, or where the mapping contains a logical discrepancy.
A notice will state the reason for the discrepancy and provide details of the officer, hearing venue and date. Booth Level Officers will deliver the notices through house-to-house visits.
The notice may be received by a family member or, if no family member is available, a neighbour. However, only the elector concerned can appear for the hearing.
A voter who receives a notice must appear before the ERO or AERO even if they submit documents online. A QR code on the notice will allow the elector to upload the required documents.
The BLO will make two attempts to serve the notice. If the elector fails to attend the hearing, the ERO/AERO can reschedule it once.
What documents should you keep ready?
The documents required will depend on the elector's circumstances and the reason for the notice. The Election Commission has provided an indicative, non-exhaustive list of documents that can be submitted. Separate self-attested documents are to be submitted for Self, Father and Mother, wherever mentioned.
These include:
Identity card or Pension Payment Order issued to a Central or State government or PSU employee or pensioner
Government, local authority, bank, post office, LIC or PSU identity card, certificate or document issued in India before July 1, 1987
Birth certificate issued by the competent authority
Passport
Matriculation or educational certificate issued by a recognised board or university
Permanent residence certificate issued by the competent State authority
Forest Rights Certificate
OBC, SC or ST certificate, or any caste certificate, issued by the competent authority
National Register of Citizens, wherever it exists
Government-maintained family register under any statutory or administrative regulation
Government land or house allotment certificate
Aadhaar, subject to the Election Commission's directions issued on September 9, 2025 (letter No. 23/2025-ERS/Vol.II)
How to submit documents once you receive a notice
The ERO issues a notice to electors whose previous SIR electoral roll details either could not be mapped (No Mapping) or do not match the database (Discrepancy in Mapping). The documents required also depend on when and where the elector was born:
Those born in India before July 1, 1987 have to provide any one document for themselves establishing their date or place of birth.
For those born in India between July 1, 1987 and December 2, 2004, documents establishing the date or place of birth of the elector and either the father or mother are required.
For those born in India after December 2, 2004, documents for the elector, father and mother are all required. If a parent is not an Indian citizen, a copy of that parent's valid passport and visa held at the time of the elector's birth may be required.
Those born outside India have to provide proof of birth registration issued by the Indian mission abroad. Those who acquired Indian citizenship through registration or naturalisation have to provide their Certificate of Registration of Citizenship.
Anomalies and logical discrepancies
For logical discrepancies, the documents may be required to establish the correct relationship or identity. The Election Commission has laid out nine specific categories of anomalies that can trigger a notice:
What happens at the hearing?
The ERO will examine the elector's eligibility and the documents submitted.
An elector whose previous SIR details cannot be linked can either establish the link with the earlier electoral roll or submit documents to establish their eligibility.
During the hearing, the ERO will check the authenticity of the documents, especially where they were issued after the qualifying date of the previous SIR, and can send them to the District Election Officer (DEO) for verification.
If the elector fails to prove eligibility, the ERO must pass a speaking order, giving reasons for the decision.
Importantly, the publication of the draft roll does not give the authorities the power to simply delete names without following this process. The Election Commission has reiterated that a name cannot be removed without notice, an opportunity to be heard and a speaking order by the ERO/AERO.
What if your name is already in the draft but the details are wrong?
You do not need to wait for a notice.
If your name appears in the draft roll but there is an error in your name, gender, age, date of birth, address or other details, you can file Form 8 during the claims and objections period.
The same form can be used for shifting residence, replacement of a lost EPIC and marking an elector as a person with disability.
What if someone else's name has been wrongly included?
A voter can file an objection using Form 7 if a name has been wrongly included in the electoral roll.
This can be used, for instance, where an elector is deceased or has permanently shifted and should no longer be registered at that address.
What happens after claims and objections are filed?
The claims and objections period will run until September 23.
The EROs and AEROs will examine the applications, verify the supporting documents and conduct hearings wherever required. Details of claims and objections received through Forms 9, 10, 11, 11A and 11B will be published on the CEO Karnataka website and shared with recognised political parties on a weekly basis.
The notice and disposal process will continue until October 22.
Appeal
If an elector's claim is rejected, or if they are aggrieved by an ERO's decision, they have a legal right to appeal.
The first appeal can be filed before the District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner within 15 days of the ERO's final order, under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
If still unsatisfied, a second appeal can be made directly to the Chief Electoral Officer within 30 days of the District Magistrate's order.
Even after the claims and objections period has ended, people whose claims for inclusion are rejected can apply again under Form 6, according to the election authorities.
When will the final roll be published?
The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on October 27, 2026, with October 1, 2026 as the qualifying date.
The key dates are therefore:
August 24: Draft electoral roll published; claims and objections begin
August 24 to September 23: Period for filing claims and objections
August 24 to October 22: Notice, verification and disposal phase
October 27: Final electoral roll published
The impact of the draft roll is particularly significant in Bengaluru, where the number of electors has fallen sharply following the enumeration exercise.
Across the Greater Bengaluru Authority area, 46.88 lakh electors have been classified under the ASDDO categories, accounting for about 45.13% of the 1.04 crore electors recorded on June 16.
The draft roll contains about 56.9 lakh electors, compared with about 1.03 crore in the previous roll.
The highest ASDDO proportion among the Assembly constituencies was recorded in Bommanahalli, at 54.83%, followed by BTM Layout at 51.61% and Vijayanagar at 51.16%. Yelahanka recorded the lowest proportion at 36.02%.
The classification, however, should not be read as a final deletion. Electors affected by it have the opportunity to file claims and submit documents during the current phase.
For voters, the immediate priority is therefore simple: check the draft roll, find out whether your name is included, and act before September 23 if it is missing or your details are incorrect.