Enumeration for SIR of electoral rolls begins across Kerala, what to expect during BLO visits

Thiruvananthapuram: The distribution of enumeration forms for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR-2026) of the electoral rolls for the Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies began on Tuesday across Kerala.

As part of the enumeration phase, which will run from November 4 to December 4, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit every household to collect basic voter information. Electors listed in the 2025 roll must fill in their details, sign, and return the form to the BLO. Those who are currently out of station can complete the process online.

Officials clarified that no verification documents are required at this stage, and even a signed form will make an elector eligible for inclusion in the draft voters’ list. Verification by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) will begin after the publication of the draft rolls on December 9.

The Election Commission of India has ordered the state-wide revision to ensure that the electoral rolls are accurate, updated, and inclusive of all eligible citizens.

To aid the process, Chief Electoral Officer and Secretary Dr Rathan U Kelkar IAS has urged residential associations to extend full cooperation. Associations have been asked to assist BLOs in visiting homes, nominate representatives for coordination, display revision details on notice boards or digital groups, and encourage residents to verify their voter information.

Key points about the SIR enumeration process

How to identify BLOs:
All BLOs will carry identity cards with QR codes that can be scanned to verify their credentials on the Election Commission’s website. Enumeration forms will also include the BLO’s name and contact number. BLOs may be accompanied by Booth Level Agents (BLAs) nominated by political parties.

Scheduling visits:
BLOs will provide advance notice before visiting. If an elector is not at home, the BLO will make up to three repeat visits to ensure no voter is left out.

What to do during the visit:
Each voter will receive two sets of enumeration forms to be filled and signed in duplicate. The BLO will countersign both and retain one copy for the Election Commission, returning the other with a stamped acknowledgement.

Residents should keep handy:

• EPIC (Voter ID card)
• Aadhaar card
• Two recent passport-size photos
• 2002 electoral roll reference, if applicable 
• No document copies need to be attached at this stage.

If the voter’s or their family’s name does not appear in the 2002 roll, they may later be asked to produce citizenship credentials from a list of 11 indicative documents specified by the Election Commission, ahead of the final roll publication next year.

Filling the form:
The enumeration form has two parts — for voters already listed in the 2002 roll, for voters whose parents’ or grandparents’ names appear in the 2002 roll.

Voters should replicate spellings and details as they appear in the 2002 roll, even if errors were later corrected. Those without entries in the 2002 list must leave these boxes blank.

Submitting forms from multiple locations may lead to cancellation.

Forms for absentee family members:
Family members can fill in and sign forms for those away on work or other commitments. The person signing will be responsible for any clarifications required later.

Submission timeline:
BLOs will collect filled forms during their house visits until December 4. The draft rolls will be published on December 9, followed by a claims and objections period from December 9 to January 8. Hearings and verifications will be conducted until January 31, and the final rolls will be published on February 7.

Citizenship status:
Officials have clarified that the SIR exercise is solely intended to verify voter eligibility. The Election Commission of India does not have the authority to determine citizenship status.