If you’ve heard about the Karnataka “SIR notice” and aren’t sure whether it affects you, you’re not alone — the Election Commission has generated notices for 43.81 lakh voters across the state, and as of early September, most of them hadn’t even been delivered yet. Here’s what’s actually happening, and what to do if a notice comes your way.
What Is the SIR and Why Are Notices Going Out?
Karnataka is currently undergoing a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of its electoral rolls — a door-to-door re-verification of every voter, last done in the state in 2002. After months of house-to-house enumeration, the Election Commission released the draft electoral roll on August 24, retaining 4.46 crore voters. Around 1.07 crore entries were flagged under a category called ASDDO — Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate, or Others — and excluded from the draft.
Separately, 43.81 lakh voters who are on the draft roll have been sent notices because their records either couldn’t be matched to the 2002 rolls, or show some kind of mismatch. This breaks down into two groups:
- 23.45 lakh “no-mapping” cases — voters whose details couldn’t be linked to the 2002 electoral roll or to a parent’s earlier record
- 20.35 lakh “anomaly” cases — mismatches such as unusual age gaps between parents and children, discrepancies in a father’s name, or inconsistencies between current and past records
Being flagged does not mean you’re automatically removed from the voter list — it means the Commission wants you to confirm your eligibility with documents.
Who Should Worry — And Who Shouldn’t
- If you’re on the draft roll but got a notice: You still need to respond and attend a hearing — being on the draft list isn’t a guarantee you’ll be on the final roll.
- If you’re in the ASDDO list (excluded from the draft): You weren’t automatically struck off permanently — but you’ll need to file Form 6 to be included, ideally during the special enrolment camps on September 19–20.
- If you haven’t received anything and aren’t sure of your status: Check the Karnataka CEO’s website, the Voter Helpline App, or contact your local Booth Level Officer (BLO) directly — don’t wait for a notice to arrive by post, since delivery has been slow.
What Documents Do You Need?
- If your name appears in the 2002 electoral roll, submit an extract of that roll showing your entry (or your parent’s, if you’re mapping through them).
- If you don’t have 2002 data, submit Aadhaar plus up to two other documents from the Election Commission’s list of 11 approved documents (these establish identity, citizenship, and residency).
- Even if you upload documents online via the QR scanner on your notice, you will still need to appear in person with the physical originals for verification.
The Deadlines That Matter
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Draft electoral roll published | August 24, 2026 |
| Notices being served by BLOs | From August 31 |
| Hearings before EROs/AEROs | September 3 – October 12 |
| Deadline to submit documents | September 23, 2026 |
| Second special enrolment campaign (new voters / Form 6) | September 19–20, 2026 |
| Final electoral roll expected | Late October 2026 (reports cite October 19–27) |
As of early September, only 16.7% of the 43.81 lakh notices had actually reached voters, with over 36 lakh still pending delivery — so don’t assume you’re in the clear just because nothing has shown up yet, especially if you know your family’s records weren’t in the 2002 rolls or if you’ve moved since then.
Practical Steps If You Get a Notice
- Read it immediately — it specifies your hearing’s date, time, and venue.
- Gather your documents — 2002 roll extract if you have it, or Aadhaar plus two more approved documents.
- Attend the hearing in person, or make sure a family member can if you’re a migrant worker or can’t be present yourself — being physically absent risks your name being dropped.
- Keep your acknowledgement/receipt from the BLO or ERO after submission.
- If you’re not sure who your BLO is, check the Karnataka CEO’s website or the BLO App.
- If you miss the window and get removed, you can still re-enrol later using Form 6 — but it means starting over rather than confirming an existing entry.
The Bottom Line
This isn’t a routine notice you can ignore. With EROs expected to process roughly 1.4 lakh cases a day to clear the backlog before mid-October, the system is stretched — which means the responsibility largely falls on individual voters to track their own status rather than wait to be contacted. If you or anyone in your family hasn’t checked their name on the draft roll yet, now is the time.
This article is for general information only. For queries specific to your case, contact your local Booth Level Officer (BLO) or Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), or check the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer’s official website.