Thiruvananthapuram: Around 51,085 voters have been found untraceable during Kerala’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Chief Electoral Officer Dr Ratan U Kelkar said via a press note.  Under the list of reasons for forms classified as uncollectable, 26,025 (0.09 per cent) were reported dead, 4,244 (0.02 per cent) were marked untraceable or absent, 18,047 (0.06 per cent) had permanently shifted, 2,619 (0.01 per cent) were already enrolled elsewhere, and 150 fell into the ‘others’ category.

This accounts for 0.18 per cent of the total number of voters re-verified. He noted that the figures are provisional since several BLOs are yet to digitise all collected data and the final tally may rise.

The CEO has directed all Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to urgently convene meetings with Booth Level Agents (BLAs) nominated by recognised political parties to improve accuracy and avoid future disputes. Kelkar also commended BLOs for their fieldwork during the SIR, describing their contribution as essential to ensuring a reliable voter list. He specifically acknowledged their efforts in identifying untraceable forms.

Controversy had intensified around the SIR process in recent days following the suicide of booth-level officer (BLO) Aneesh George in Kannur, allegedly linked to heavy workload and unrealistic deadlines. BLOs held a one-day boycott on Monday, led by the Joint Action Committee of State Employees and Teachers and the Teachers’ Service Organisation Samara Samithi, which included protest marches to the Chief Electoral Officer’s office and district returning officers’ offices. Union leaders said the Election Commission must answer for what they called unreasonable field duties and unprecedented pressure on ground staff during the ongoing revision. Amid rising criticism, the CEO had issued a condolence message expressing profound grief over Aneesh’s death.

Enumeration process timeline
The enumeration phase, which began on November 4, will continue until December 4. Voters listed for 2025 must submit their completed forms. Those away from home may do so online. No verification documents are needed at this stage and a signed form is sufficient for inclusion in the draft rolls.

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.