Prominent Figures Including Nandan Nilekani Flagged in Karnataka Electoral Roll Revision

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has flagged several prominent individuals, including Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, in a discrepancy list as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka. Nilekani and his family members were classified as unmapped with the last SIR, a designation for voters who were not part of the 2002 electoral rolls. Other high profile individuals mentioned in the discrepancy list include Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath and actor Shivarajkumar. To be included in the final electoral roll scheduled for publication on October 27, affected voters must submit approved documentation to Booth Level Officers by October 22.

Officials clarified that the process differs for prominent figures. While actor Shivarajkumar was flagged, verification was conducted at his residence. A senior ECI official stated that a provision exists for VIPs, including judges, MPs, MLAs, and figures from sports and cinema, to complete the process at their doorstep without appearing at a hearing. Similarly, while a discrepancy was noted for Bharat Ratna laureate Prof CNR Rao, the Bengaluru Urban District Election Officer confirmed that no notice was issued to him and the Booth Level Officer recommended his inclusion in the final roll. Padma Shri awardee Harekala Hajabba was issued a notice due to a name mismatch.

Of the 4.46 crore voters in the draft electoral roll, notices have been generated for 43.81 lakh voters. While the process for VIPs is streamlined, reports indicate that ordinary voters have faced confusion and delays over minor formatting or transliteration differences between current records and the 2002 rolls.