SIR: several Keralites in Bengaluru left out of electoral roll

Bengaluru: Keralites who have been living in Bengaluru for decades are reportedly facing difficulties in retaining their names on the electoral rolls amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, with several voters being summoned to hearings over alleged mismatches in their details.

Despite appearing before the authorities and submitting documents to establish their identity and electoral records, many complain that their cases remain unresolved. The process has also forced several people to take leave from work and repeatedly visit SIR hearings, adding to their difficulties.

Joju Varghese, 67, a Bengaluru resident for nearly 40 years and a former Central Government employee who served in the Indian Railways, is among those facing the problem. He had to spend four days searching for a copy of the 2002 electoral roll to obtain the details required to complete his SIR form.

After using the information from the 2002 roll and submitting the completed form, Joju was contacted by the Booth-level Electoral Officer around 10 days later. He was informed that his name did not match the details in the relevant 2002 booth records and was asked to appear personally at an SIR hearing.

Joju and his family members attended the hearing as instructed, but weeks later, they were still awaiting a resolution. He is questioning how a person who spent 36 years working for the Central Government could suddenly find his name missing from the voter roll, and why his voting rights should be called into question.

The verification process has also created a major burden for Bengaluru residents who have shifted homes within the city over the years, as locating their names in the electoral roll corresponding to their 2002 place of residence has proved particularly difficult. The Election Commission's current SIR process requires voters to trace such historical electoral records.