Confusion has surfaced across Karnataka as the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls enters its first week, with many voters reporting inconsistent instructions from Booth Level Officers (BLOs) while filling out enumeration forms.

The month-long exercise, which began on June 30, is aimed at updating the state’s electoral rolls. The draft voters’ list is scheduled to be published on August 5.

However, reports from various parts of the state indicate that voters are receiving conflicting guidance from BLOs, particularly those required to establish their identity through a parent or relative listed in the 2002 electoral roll.

One of the major areas of confusion concerns the “Name” field in the enumeration form. While some BLOs have instructed voters to enter their own names, others have directed them to write the name of the parent or relative with whom they are linking their electoral records.

According to a report by The Hindu, similar inconsistencies have emerged over corrections to pre-filled forms. Several voters found spelling mistakes in their names and sought clarification. Some BLOs reportedly advised them to retain the spellings exactly as they appeared in the 2002 electoral roll, while others asked them to make corrections. In many cases, however, officials were reportedly unable to explain how such changes would be incorporated into the pre-filled forms.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), V. Anbukkumar, has directed district election officials to ensure that all BLOs strictly follow the Election Commission of India’s guidelines while carrying out the revision process.

The directive follows complaints that, instead of conducting the mandated door-to-door distribution of enumeration forms, some BLOs were asking voters to collect the forms from government offices or designated locations.

In a communication to all District Election Officers, the CEO said that distribution of enumeration forms began across Karnataka on June 30 in accordance with the Election Commission’s schedule and guidelines. Referring to complaints received from various quarters, he instructed officials to ensure that BLOs visit every household to distribute the forms and comply with all prescribed procedures under the Special Intensive Revision.

The CEO also urged officials to publicise the availability of assistance at Voter Facilitation Centres for citizens who may find it difficult to complete the enumeration forms.

The Special Intensive Revision is a nationwide exercise intended to update electoral rolls by verifying voter details and ensuring the accuracy of electoral records. Authorities have appealed to eligible voters to cooperate with BLOs and complete the verification process within the stipulated timeline.