Kerala final SIR list has 2.70 crore voters, fewer than 9 lakh deletions

The number of voters in Kerala is 2,69,53,644 after the three-month Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India. The number might increase by at least one lakh when the Chief Electoral Officer publishes the final list on February 21.

Compared to the October 2025 voters' list, which formed the base list for SIR and had 2,78,50,855 voters, the number of deletions is 8,97,211 voters, a substantial downsizing of the deleted in relation to the Draft SIR list. The final SIR numbers were revealed by Chief Electoral Officer Kerala Rathan U Kelkar during a discussion with political parties in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.

In the Draft SIR list published on December 23, the number of voters was 2,54,42,352, suggesting a deletion of 24,08,503 voters.

However, the voters' list used by the Kerala State Election Commission (SEC) for the just concluded local body polls had 2,86,24,558 voters. Compared to this, the final SIR list is short by 16,79,914 voters.

Even among the 2.54 crore in the Draft SIR list, 36.89 lakh were in the grey area; either their names could not be mapped with their addresses in the existing voters' list (19.33 lakh) or had logical discrepancies like spelling mistakes in names (17.56 lakh). The Election Commission served hearing notices to all these 36.89 voters.

The claims of over 98 per cent placed in the Draft SIR List's 'grey area' have been accepted. Only 53,229 or 1.44 per cent of them were eliminated from the list. And these deleted names included the dead, those who had taken foreign citizenship, those who had permanently shifted residence and those whose names featured more than once in the electoral rolls.

In addition, 16,79,885 voters applied afresh for inclusion in the voters' list by submitting Form 6 (application for new voters) and Form 6 A (application for new voters residing in foreign countries). There were 14,57,468 Form 6 applications, and 13,51,151 or 92.70 per cent were accepted and their names included in the final list. Unaccepted Form 6 applications include that of those who had applied before attaining the age of 17.

There were 2,22,417 Form 6A overseas applications, and 1,59,111 or 71.54 per cent were accepted. This, too, included premature applications.

The ECI also received 24,32,139 Form 7 applications. This form is filed for three purposes. One, objecting the inclusion of a name. Two, seeking the deletion of own name. And three, seeking the deletion of names made redundant by death or permanent shifting. The ECI accepted almost all (99.86%) of these applications.

The SIR process is still not complete. Between January 31 and February 16, the Election Commission has received 4,01,368 (four lakh one thousand three hundred and sixty eight) additional applications; 1,23,133 Form 6, 7421 Form 6A, 1,66,404 Form 7 and 1,04,410 Form 8 (correction of entries in electoral rolls). "Some of these have been reflected in the final figure (2,69,53,644) given out today. But more of them will be included in the final list that will be published tomorrow," Chief Electoral Officer Kerala Kelkar said. The final tally of voters, therefore, could be slightly over 2.70 crore.

Further, citizens who have a problem with the final SIR list could still file an appeal to the District Election Officer till the last date for the filing of nomination papers for the Assembly elections, the dates for which are yet to be announced.