K’taka completes 89 pc distribution of enumeration forms under SIR
Bengaluru: The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, on Friday said that 89.02 per cent of Enumeration Forms (EFs) have been distributed as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls across the state.
The Election Department said a total of 4,93,43,328 Enumeration Forms have been distributed to electors through Booth Level Officers (BLOs), accounting for 89.02 per cent of the total electorate.
As many as 30,687 polling stations, or 51.97 per cent, have achieved 100 per cent distribution of Enumeration Forms, while another 13,001 polling stations (22.02 per cent) have crossed the 90 per cent distribution mark.
On the digitisation front, the department said 95,16,080 Enumeration Forms, representing 17.17 per cent of the electorate, have been digitised so far. Nine polling stations have completed 100 per cent digitisation of Enumeration Forms, while 250 polling stations have achieved more than 90 per cent digitisation.
The CEO’s office also said that 1,99,523 Enumeration Forms, accounting for 0.36 per cent of the total, have been submitted online by electors.
During the ongoing verification process, election officials have identified 3,36,888 electors under the Absentee, Shifted, and Dead/Duplicate (ASDDO) category. In addition, 15,290 electors were found to be untraceable or absent, while 1,82,292 were identified as having permanently shifted from their registered addresses.
The exercise has also identified 1,18,275 deceased electors, 19,897 persons already enrolled elsewhere, and 1,134 electors in other categories requiring further verification.
According to the CEO’s office, Karnataka had a total of 5,54,32,314 registered electors as of June 16, 2026. The house-to-house enumeration and digitisation exercise began on June 30 and will continue until July 29.
It can be noted that Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje on Friday accused the Karnataka government of endangering national security by proposing to issue Permanent Residency Certificates (PRCs), alleging that the move could be misused to benefit illegal immigrants.
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has announced the issuance of Permanent Residence Certificates (PRCs) to help eligible citizens participate in the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
He maintained that the move aims to prevent eligible voters from being deleted from the voter lists.
Karandlaje said the Chief Minister believes he can do anything and that no one can question him because he has the support of the Congress high command. She added that he is attempting to change India’s demography and harm the country’s demographic balance.
Commenting on whether granting permanent residence would benefit illegal immigrants, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President B.K. Hariprasad alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had repeatedly changed its political targets over the years and was now using the Bangladesh issue for electoral gains.
He questioned how alleged illegal immigrants could have reached Karnataka, which does not share an international border with Bangladesh, without the Centre’s failure to prevent their entry.