Members of nomadic communities in Karnataka’s Belagavi district are encountering significant challenges in enrolling their names during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Difficulties in providing documentary proof of residence and the transient nature of their lifestyles are creating barriers to participation in the electoral process.
The Chenab Times has learned that Booth Level Officers (BLOs), tasked with updating voter lists, are finding it difficult to enumerate individuals from nomadic tribes such as the Durugmurgi and Abbepari communities. These communities often move between towns and villages, lacking permanent addresses or documentation that meets the stringent requirements for voter registration. In some instances, BLOs have advised individuals to refer to addresses from the last SIR conducted in 2002, a period when many of these families may not have resided in the same areas.
One of the primary obstacles is the lack of essential documents. Many members of these communities do not possess proof of residence, Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPICs), or even Aadhaar cards. Some families do not have a permanent address, making it challenging to establish their eligibility for voter registration under standard procedures. The transient nature of their livelihoods, which often involve odd jobs, seasonal migration, and temporary settlements in makeshift shelters, further complicates the process of documenting their residence.
Challenges in Documentation and Literacy
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, a comprehensive, house-to-house verification of electoral rolls, aims to ensure accurate and updated voter lists across the state. However, for nomadic communities, the process presents unique difficulties. Reports indicate that many individuals within these communities are unable to read or write, making it challenging for them to fill out the enumeration forms independently. An officer involved in the SIR duty noted that “A lot of them do not have any of the documents that could serve as proof of residence.”
The mobility of these communities means they often lack a stable base, a key requirement for electoral rolls. Even families that have settled in certain villages or towns for extended periods have reportedly been overlooked in the initial mapping phases of the SIR. Community leaders have highlighted cases where individuals who have resided in a town for decades have not received enumeration forms.
Administration’s Response and Ongoing Measures
Acknowledging the issues, Mohammad Roshan, the Deputy Commissioner of Belagavi, has stated that the matter is being taken up with priority. Directives have been issued to officers to ensure that special care is taken to include members of nomadic tribes and migrant labourers in the electoral rolls. The administration is reportedly adopting measures to facilitate their inclusion, with special instructions given to BLOs to ensure no eligible voters from these communities are left out.
For families where only one member can be traced, BLOs are being instructed to assist in filling out forms for all family members. The Deputy Commissioner assured that if individuals are not already registered voters, steps will be taken to include them after the draft roll publication on August 17, provided they fill out Form 6 and enroll as new voters. The SIR norms require submission of one of the prescribed documents, and the administration is working to accommodate these communities within these guidelines.
However, concerns have been raised by civil society groups and activists about the broader implications of the SIR exercise. Groups like ‘My Vote My Right’ have flagged that the stringent document requirements and the design of the SIR process could disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including women, migrant workers, nomadic communities, Dalits, Adivasis, and religious minorities. They have pointed to instances where Aadhaar cards have allegedly been refused as proof of identity, and deletions have occurred without proper notice or opportunity for individuals to be heard.
The concerns extend to the training of BLOs, with allegations that instructions were sometimes disseminated through informal channels like WhatsApp videos, rather than clear, written protocols. Glitches in the mapping apps used by BLOs have also been reported, leading to the exclusion of voters whose names appear on older rolls. The overall exercise aims to update the electoral rolls, with the final roll scheduled for publication on October 7, 2026.
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