South and central Kerala see sharpest decline in voter numbers after SIR
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The draft electoral roll for the 2026 assembly election published on Tuesday registered an overall dip in voter numbers by 8.65% compared to the voters list prior to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Of this, the sharpest drop in voter numbers was recorded in Thiruvananthapuram at 14.31%, followed by Idukki, Ernakulam and Kottayam. Notably, the northern districts of Kannur and Malappuram recorded the least drop in the number of voters. Chief Electoral Officer-Kerala Rathan U Kelkar told TNIE that the drop in voter numbers in predominantly urban districts such as Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam was owing to the lukewarm response of citizens in the 18-30 years age group to either enrol in the electoral roll or participate in the SIR process that requires establishment of a link with the 2002 electoral roll. Of the 2.78 crore voters we had before SIR, nearly 56 lakh in the 18-30 years age group have found a place in the latest draft voters list. However, the population of that age group is close to 90 lakh. This means around 35 lakh people have not come forward to register, Kelkar explained. According to the official, even by conservative estimates, at least 30 lakh people in the 18-30 year age group are expected to come into the electoral roll when it is finalised on February 21. Notably, the number of voters who have been left out of the draft voters list comes up to 24.08 lakh. In the coming days, we will be launching special campaigns to encourage fresh enrolments, the official added. Asked how Idukki, that is predominantly a rural district, came second in terms of the drop in voter numbers, Kelkar said, People of Tamil origin, who also have votes in Tamil Nadu, have not given back the enumeration forms. This was noticed more in the taluks bordering Tamil Nadu.
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