The Election Commission of India has flagged between 1.08 crore [5] and 1.11 crore [7] voter names for deletion in Karnataka.
This massive cleanup of the electoral roll could significantly alter voter turnout and representation in future elections if millions of eligible citizens fail to reclaim their registration.
The deletions are part of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted by the Election Commission of India and the Karnataka State Election Commission. Officials said they are targeting entries under the ASDDO category, which stands for absent, shifted, duplicate, dead, or others [1, 2].
Data indicates that the flagged names represent approximately 20.02% [2] of the state's electorate. The total number of registered voters in Karnataka stands at 5.54 crore [6].
Bengaluru has been hit hardest by the revision process. Approximately 48% [2] of voters in the city have been flagged for removal. This high concentration of deletions in the urban center reflects the volatile nature of city populations, where residents frequently shift residences.
The process included a verification window that closed on Aug. 8, 2024 [8]. According to reports, 43 lakh voters were set to receive notices regarding their status [9].
Eligible voters whose names were flagged under the ASDDO category were encouraged to verify their status online and make claims to remain on the list [3]. The exercise aims to ensure the integrity of the voting process by removing invalid entries, a move that prevents potential fraud but risks disenfranchising legitimate voters who are unaware of the revision.
“Approximately 48% of voters in the city have been flagged for removal.”
The scale of these deletions suggests a significant discrepancy between official registration records and the actual residency of the population, particularly in rapidly growing urban hubs like Bengaluru. While the ASDDO process is a standard administrative tool to prevent duplicate voting and fraud, the removal of one-fifth of a state's electorate creates a high risk of accidental disenfranchisement. This puts the burden of proof on the citizen to navigate bureaucratic channels to restore their voting rights before the next election cycle.
