The Special Intensive Review (SIR) of Kerala's electoral rolls has moved into a high gear, as the hearings have started at polling booths across the state. Thousands are being summoned to verify their details, and the scale of the exercise is massive— officials have already flagged discrepancies for 1.3 lakh people, while a staggering 18.7 lakh notices have been prepared for distribution.
If you’ve received a notice, you’ll likely need to head to your local polling station building for the hearing. These sessions are being led by Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) on hand to assist. If the date on your notice doesn't work for you, the government has said you can coordinate with your BLO to reschedule rather than missing out.
The paperwork required can vary; while some just need to show their own IDs, others might be asked for their parents' documents to clear up issues linked back to the 2002 electoral records. To make things easier, the Chief Minister’s office has announced that any documents needed for this process will be issued for free by the local authorities, and the IT department has even been told to look into reducing fees at Akshaya centres for voter-related services.
On the administrative side, the state is under a "no-leave" zone. District Collectors have been told to fill any vacancies for election officials within 48 hours, and no transfers will be allowed while the review is active. There’s also a big push to help those who struggle with digital platforms; help desks are being set up at camps, and panchayats have been told to bypass K-SMART delays and issue certificates directly if the online system lags.
The goal behind this intense push is simple: the government wants a clean, error-free list before the next election cycle begins. Chief Secretary-led meetings have already taken place to ensure these hearing centres aren't just functional, but also have basic facilities so the public isn't stuck waiting in uncomfortable conditions.
Also read: Kerala govt to roll out phase-2 of poverty eradication drive
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