Will SIR Be Implemented in Karnataka? EC Plans Special Voter ID Verification in 12 States

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter ID cards, which recently stirred controversy in Bihar, is set to expand across the country. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that the second phase of the SIR exercise will soon cover 12 states and Union Territories, including poll-bound regions like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said during a press conference in New Delhi, "The second phase of SIR is about to be carried out in 12 States and UTs."

Will Karnataka Be Included in the Next Phase?

No, Karnataka is not included in the next phase.

SIR Phase 2: States and Voter Data Overview

In Karnataka, allegations of vote rigging have surfaced in recent months. This has led to speculation that the Election Commission may also introduce SIR in the state soon.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had recently claimed that fake voting occurred during the last Lok Sabha elections, particularly in the Mahadevapura constituency of Bengaluru.

Similarly, cases of voter fraud in the Aland constituency have also been reported. The Karnataka government has set up an SIT to probe these allegations, and investigators recently arrested the alleged mastermind behind the scam.

What Is SIR (Special Intensive Revision)?

The Special Intensive Revision is a large-scale verification process designed to authenticate voter ID cards and ensure that only eligible citizens remain on the electoral rolls.
Under this process, individuals with duplicate, fake, or invalid voter IDs are removed, and only verified voters are retained.

Documents Required for SIR Verification

To complete the verification, citizens must provide:

A copy of their voter ID card

A photo and address proof such as Aadhaar card or government-issued ID

However, ration cards will not be accepted as address proof under the new guidelines.

States Covered Under the SIR Programme

According to Election Commission, SIR will be implemented in 12 states during its next phase. These include:

Kerala

Tamil Nadu

West Bengal

Assam

Puducherry

These are key states heading for assembly elections in 2026, prompting the Commission to update voter rolls well in advance.

What Happened During SIR in Bihar?

The SIR exercise in Bihar led to a significant cleanup of electoral rolls.

36 lakh people were identified as migrants

22 lakh voters were found to be deceased

7 lakh duplicate entries were removed

After the revision, 7.42 crore eligible voters remain registered for the Bihar Assembly Elections scheduled on November 6 and 7, 2025.

Legal Challenges and ECI Clarifications

The nationwide SIR, announced by the Election Commission on June 24, 2025, has faced legal scrutiny in the Supreme Court. While the court upheld the ECI's authority to conduct voter roll verification, it directed that Aadhaar be included as the 12th valid ID proof for identity verification.