Kerala SIR: CEO speaks to HT on BLO deaths, voter notices and electoral rolls

AS Kerala completes its Special Intensive revise (SIR) of electoral rolls forward of the 2026 assemblage elections, chief electoral ship's officer Rathan U Kelkar has defended the work amid criticism over workload on booth level officers (BLOs), large-scale issuance of notices, and concerns about errors in the draft rolls.In a detailed interview with HT, Kelkar addressed the deaths of BLOs that cast a shadow over the process, the Election Commission’s refusal to grant Kerala an extension due to the national election calendar, and the challenges caused by limited participation of booth level agents (BLAs) in the initial stages. He explained why nearly 2 million voters received notices despite over 94% of electors being successfully mapped, clarified the verification and hearing process, and rejected allegations of arbitrariness.Kelkar also spoke about migration, the screening of foreign nationals, the role of Anganwadi workers in digitisation, and the safeguards built into the system to ensure accuracy and inclusion. Emphasising that SIR is a verification exercise rather than a punitive one, he said the process applies uniformly to all citizens, including himself, and underlined that the revision is meant to strengthen the integrity of Kerala’s electoral rolls. Edited excerpts:Q: The deaths of BLOs during the process drew widespread attention. How did that affect the exercise?Answer: The first BLO death in Kerala was a turning point. It was a terrible experience and caused widespread shock. It raised questions about workload and intensified opposition to the SIR. Administratively, however, the workload was manageable. BLOs were given 30 days, but the actual fieldwork amounted to barely ten full working days. Each BLO was assigned around 200 houses.In fact, within the first three days, 13 BLOs — half of them women — had completed distribution, billing, and collection. But after the death, perceptions changed. There was a sudden feeling that everyone was overstretched. That was when we realised the psychological pressure on BLOs. We had to organise activities to support them and lift morale. I must say, 30 days was more than sufficient. It would have been difficult only if they were also handling departmental duties, but here they were exclusively assigned to SIR.Q. Kerala did not get an extension for SIR despite requests. Why, and what did that mean for the state?A: The denial of an extension was entirely due to the 2026 election schedule. Kerala’s elections are aligned with West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, with notifications, polling, and counting conducted together. Because of this synchronisation, there was no scope to grant Kerala an extension alone. We were told to do what we could within the timeline.This posed challenges, especially in the early stages.BLAs are crucial links between voters and the administration. They know the locality and are trusted voices. During the home-to-home survey, BLAs were largely unavailable as they were engaged in local elections. Had they been involved earlier, they could have ensured forms were properly filled, voters were linked to the 2002 roll, and minor issues were resolved locally. That support came only during hearings. With full BLA involvement from the start, mapping could have exceeded 98%, and many notices could have been avoided.Q. How did the limited role of BLAs affect the process, and what role did BLOs and Anganwadi workers play?A. BLAs are vital because of their local knowledge and credibility. Their limited initial participation meant some forms were incomplete and some voters were not linked to the 2002 roll. This had to be corrected later during hearings.BLOs and Anganwadi workers handled the fieldwork. While BLOs were assigned about 200 houses over 30 days, Anganwadi workers faced challenges with digital uploads, as they are not routinely trained in online data entry and connectivity was uneven. Support camps with school and college students, along with field supervision, helped address this, but the exercise highlighted the need for better preparation when frontline workers are tasked with digital responsibilities.Q. You yourself received a notice under SIR. What does that indicate about the process?A. It shows that the process is uniform and applies to everyone. I was in Bengaluru during the 2002 revision and joined service in Kerala only in 2003, so my name did not appear in the 2002 roll. The system flagged this and I received a notice like any other citizen. I appeared before the authority, submitted records, and the issue was resolved. That is exactly how the system is meant to work. It is about verification based on rules, not suspicion.Q. One objective of SIR was to prevent illegal foreign nationals from being enrolled. What has Kerala found so far?A. After publication of the draft roll and during the notice and hearing process, we came across a few cases, mostly involving Nepali citizens. We have not found any cases involving Bangladeshi nationals. If such cases existed, they would have surfaced by now. The objection period is underway precisely to identify and correct such issues, though Kerala generally does not face this problem.Q. Critics say the draft electoral roll has many errors. How do you respond?A. A draft roll is expected to have defects, hence the name ‘draft’. Its purpose is to invite claims and objections so errors can be corrected. The most common issue raised is when voters do not find their names despite having voted earlier. Such cases are resolved through the prescribed verification process.Q. Nearly 2 million voters received notices despite over 94% mapping. Why so many, and why were urban areas hit harder?A. The 94.5% figure represents voters who were already correctly linked and required no further verification. The remaining 5–6%, about 20 lakh voters, received notices mainly due to incomplete forms or missing linkage to the 2002 roll. Many voters assumed the system or BLOs would automatically resolve these gaps.Urban and semi-urban areas saw more notices because populations are more mobile, communities are less cohesive, and voter participation tends to be lower. Rural areas benefit from stable populations and stronger local knowledge, making voter verification easier.Q. How are notices generated, and what happens during hearings?A. Notices are generated by the Election Commission’s digital system when inconsistencies are detected in age, gender, parental details, or roll linkage. The AERO or ERO issues the notice. Hearings are verification exercises, not punitive proceedings.Voters may be asked to submit documents such as birth certificates, identity proofs, or address records. If officials are satisfied, personal appearance can be waived. Otherwise, voters appear briefly before the officer. Even high-profile individuals, including myself, underwent this process if linkage was missing.Q9. Did you anticipate criticism that the process was intrusive or burdensome?A. The intensity of this SIR was unprecedented. Earlier revisions were largely passive, relying on voters to flag errors. This time, BLOs went door-to-door, verified legacy data, and digitised records. Naturally, some voters were unsettled.To reduce anxiety, we ensured transparency through weekly meetings with political parties, regular media updates, phone-in programmes, and open offices. Once people understood the intent—accuracy and inclusion—resistance eased.Q. How did migration affect the revision process?A. Kerala has a large population working outside the state and abroad. The Commission allows personal hearings to be waived if the AERO is satisfied through local verification. Overseas voters used passports, and authorised representatives were permitted, ensuring genuine voters were not inconvenienced.In-migration was also addressed. Legally, a person can be enrolled only at one location. Migrant workers usually retain registration in their home states. Where forms were issued but not returned, entries were treated accordingly. There was no evidence of large-scale dual registration.Q. What is your final message to voters and stakeholders?A. The SIR is meant to ensure accuracy, inclusivity, and transparency. If you are eligible, you will be included in the electoral roll. The exercise is not about inconvenience; it strengthens democracy.Over 94% of voters were mapped, and discrepancies for the remaining voters are being addressed through notices and hearings. Electoral rolls are living documents that must reflect mobility, migration, and social change, and this exercise reinforces their integrity.