After BJP, JD(S) complain about ‘fairness’, Karnataka CEO defends conduct of SIR

3 min readBengaluruUpdated: Jul 8, 2026 07:55 PM IST

For the first time, the BJP has cried foul over the SIR process. (Representational image)

A day after the BJP and JD(S) approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list being carried out in Karnataka, Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukumar said the exercise was being conducted as per ECI directions.

“We are doing it as per law. We want to assure that the exercise will be carried out as per directions issued by the ECI,” Anbukumar told a news conference Wednesday.

“Wherever we receive complaints regarding distribution of forms in groups, we have attended to them… They will be scrutinised as per law,” he said in response to questions about the Opposition parties’ complaint.

Both parties have filed multiple complaints with the ECI. On Tuesday, they approached the chief electoral officer raising “serious concerns about fairness and impartiality of the process.” They also alleged that BLOs “belonging to a particular religion” were being deployed in minority-dominated areas.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H D Kumaraswamy alleged that booth-level officers (BLOs) were distributing SIR forms en masse in a location within Bengaluru South district.

Following complaints that BLOs were not visiting houses, the ECI has issued showcause notices to around 35 of them, Anbukumar said.

“They have to visit house-to-house and forms should be delivered to the voter,” he added.

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During the first nine days of the SIR exercise, BLOs distributed forms among 4.48 crore of the 5.54 crore voters mapped by the ECI—a coverage of 80.85 per cent. The lowest rate of SIR form distribution was in four electoral districts under the Greater Bengaluru Authority limits. Of the four, 44.18 per cent of voters received enumeration forms in BBMP South electoral district, 46.04 per cent in Bangalore Urban, 48.25 per cent in BBMP North and 48.54 per cent in BBMP Central districts. The four electoral districts have around 1 crore mapped voters.

Late start and varying working hours

Bengaluru recorded a lower rate because BLOs started distributing SIR forms a day or two later than June 30, when the exercise started across the state. In places like Bengaluru, people may not be available during BLO visits because of varying working hours, Anbukumar said, adding that measures were in place to address the issue and increase form distribution.