Around 25 lakh voters listed in Kerala’s electoral rolls could not be traced during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, Chief Electoral Officer Rathan Kelkar revealed on Monday, triggering sharp reactions from opposition parties.
Addressing a review meeting on the SIR process, Kelkar said parties including the CPI(M), Congress, and the Indian Union Muslim League conveyed strong objections to the Election Commission over the findings.
According to official data, 6.44 lakh voters were identified as deceased, while 8.19 lakh voters were found to have shifted their residence. The revision exercise also led to the removal of 1.31 lakh duplicate entries from the electoral rolls. However, details of 7.12 lakh voters remain unavailable, largely due to enumeration forms not being received or submitted through Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
To ensure transparency, the Chief Electoral Officer said the list of untraceable voters will be published on the official Election Commission website, allowing citizens to verify their status. Political parties will also be formally informed of the details.
Kelkar added that the SIR process has already been completed in Kasaragod, Kollam, and Wayanad districts, and is expected to be wrapped up soon in the remaining parts of the state. The revision exercise, which began last month, was extended in view of the recently concluded local body elections.
