Think deleting name in SIR is easy? Think again!

Fleeting Thoughts By Dr. Shiva Kumar

We have been residing at House No. 789, 2nd Cross, Manujapatha Road, E & F Block, Kuvempunagar, Mysuru-570023, since 1987. At that time, there were four voters in our house — my father, mother, me and my wife. [Refer to the 2002 voter list, Narasimharaja Assembly Constituency-116, Booth No. 23, Gnanaganga Vidyapeeta, School Sl. Nos. 327 to 330]

When we went to vote in an election in 2017/2018, we were surprised to find that my father’s name had been deleted, with the word “deceased” marked against his name.

I took up the matter with the authorities, which resulted in his name being subsequently added to the voter list. However, his name was placed under Krishnaraja Assembly Constituency-216, Booth No. 24, Gnanaganga Vidyapeeta, School Sl. No. 177, whereas the other three voters in our family were under Krishnaraja Assembly Constituency-216, Booth No. 23, Gnanaganga Vidyapeeta, School Sl. Nos. 437, 438 and 439.

Now, during the present SIR (Special Intensive Revision) exercise, the three of us whose names are in Booth No. 23 of Gnanaganga Vidyapeeta received the forms at our house from the BLO (Booth Level Officer), with a request to fill in the details. However, my father’s form was not given to us by BLO of  Booth No. 24.

On July 12, 2026, I called the BLO of Booth No. 24 and asked her for my father’s form. She asked me to come to Government Public School, Kuvempunagar, where they were facilitating SIR-related issues.

At that time, my father was in hospital recovering from an operation. In spite of this, I went to the school at around 10.30 am and met the BLO. She gave me the voter list and asked me to search for my father’s name.

I searched the list but could not find his name. I informed the BLO that I would send her the details of my father’s voter ID and the booth where he had been voting. I returned home in the evening and sent her the voter information pertaining to my father that was available on the Election Commission website.

Next day, when I called the BLO, I was asked to contact the Revenue Inspector (RI). I called the RI on July 13 and, as requested, sent her my father’s voter information. I called the RI again on July 14 and 15, but it was of no use.

Escalation of issue

On July 29, I escalated the issue to the AERO (Assistant Electoral Registration Officer) and ERO (Electoral Registration Officer), requesting that my father’s form be provided. I submitted all the voter information at around 8 am. To my surprise, the BLO visited my house within 30 minutes and handed over my father’s SIR form.

As I had all the details on hand, I filled in the form and handed it over to the BLO, who uploaded the details then and there. With this, all my family members were able to submit their SIR details, including my son and daughter-in-law, who were new voters.

On Aug. 13, my father, aged 99, who was recovering from surgery, breathed his last at home. After performing the cremation rituals, I, as a law-abiding citizen, informed the BLO about his death, with the intention that my father’s name could be deleted before the final voter list was published, as the SIR exercise was still underway.

I informed the BLO that I would submit the death certificate once it was received from the Mysuru City Corporation.

On Sept. 11, while a monthly ceremony was being performed at our house, I received a call from the BLO asking me to be available at 4.30 pm. She promptly came to our house and asked me to sign a notice from the ERO regarding the deletion of my father’s name.

In the notice, I wrote about my father’s death and also mentioned that the death certificate had not yet been received from the Corporation Office. I signed the document as the informant-son.

She took a photograph of the statement and uploaded it. She also took another photo of me holding the notice that I had signed. She again asked me to send the death certificate as soon as I received it.

Death certificate

On Sept. 16, I received the death certificate. I duly scanned a copy and sent it to the BLO on the same day. The next day, Sept. 17, the BLO called me and asked me to come to the booth office, as I had to sign one more form. I went there at around 10.30 am.

I was given a form, probably Form No. 7, which I signed. I also signed a register. The BLO then took a photograph of me sitting in the booth office.

I left thinking that I had succeeded in my mission of getting my father’s name deleted. I was on my way to the city from the booth office when I received a call from the BLO asking me to give a handwritten statement providing details of my father’s voter information and informing her about his death, followed by a request to delete his name from the final voter list.

So, I visited the BLO’s office again on Sept. 17 and submitted the letter as requested. Since then, I have not received any call or information. Maybe, once the final list is published, I might find that my father’s name has been deleted.

As protests over SIR are underway, I have narrated this issue in detail so that everyone can understand how easy it is to include a name in the voter list and how difficult it is to delete a name, even after submitting all the details and proof to establish that the voter is no more.

Dr. Shiva Kumar is a retired Deputy Director, Department of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Services, Government of Karnataka. A native of Mysuru, he completed his Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences degree from Veterinary College, Hebbal, Bangalore in 1977-82 and a Master’s in Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology & Obstetrics. After serving in the Department for around 37 years, he retired in 2019.