The Election Commission on Monday released Karnataka’s first draft electoral roll after completing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbukumar said over 1.07 crore electors have been placed in the ASDDO (Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate and Other) category. He clarified that inclusion in this category does not mean a voter’s name has been permanently deleted, as every eligible citizen will have an opportunity to submit claims and objections before the final electoral roll is published.

According to the draft, Karnataka now has 4.46 crore registered voters compared to 5.54 crore before the revision exercise. The Election Commission identified more than 65 lakh voters who had permanently shifted, over 16 lakh reported as deceased, around 15 lakh marked absent, and more than 7 lakh duplicate registrations. The commission also stated that over 4.46 crore voter records have been digitised, with women voters slightly outnumbering male voters in the updated draft roll.

The Election Commission has opened the claims and objections process from August 24 to September 23, allowing voters to apply through Electoral Registration Officers, Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, the official voter portal, or the ECINET mobile application. Officials stressed that no elector’s name can be removed permanently without due process, including prior notice and an opportunity to be heard. After verifying all claims and objections, the final electoral roll for Karnataka is scheduled to be published on October 27.