Kerala Sets Stage for New Electoral Roll: 24.81 Lakh Voters Under Scrutiny

The enumeration phase of Kerala's electoral roll ends Thursday, announces Chief Electoral Officer Ratan U Kelkar. The draft roll will be published December 23, highlighting 24.81 lakh untraceable voters. Efforts include tracing voters, processing new applications, and preparations for the final roll set for February 21, 2026.

Kerala election authorities are concluding the enumeration phase of the state's electoral roll, with Chief Electoral Officer Ratan U Kelkar announcing the completion by Thursday midnight. Highlighting transparency, Kelkar confirmed that the draft roll will emerge on December 23.

A staggering 24.81 lakh voters have been marked as 'untraceable,' comprising deceased, shifted, or duplicate entries, yet efforts are underway to trace them. Overseas voters have an open window to register using Form 6, and provisional figures show 2.92 lakh applications already filed, all to be processed before December 23.

Post the draft's publication, additional preparations will ensure all necessary corrections and appeals are addressed by the final list's release on February 21, 2026. Kelkar reassured that measures, including capping voter numbers per station and dispelling fake news, aim to bolster the electoral process, asserting the importance of democratic participation.

(With inputs from agencies.)