Mapping of voter data, a precursor to the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, is almost complete in Ernakulam district even as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced SIR in Kerala.
The pre-SIR exercise involved mapping current voters with those present on the rolls prepared after the previous SIR carried out in 2002. It was done by the booth-level officers by comparing the two lists.
District election officials said above 60% of voters in the 2002 list had been identified in the latest rolls. The comparison was done excluding voters below 40 years in the latest list as they were not enrolled in the 2002 list.
“When it comes to Assembly constituency-wise comparison, a higher rate of voter retention has been observed in segments with a rural nature than in urban ones. While almost 65%-70% of voters enrolled in 2002 list have been located in the latest rolls of rural constituencies, the figure for urban constituencies is 50%-55%,” an official said.
The difference could have caused by various reasons including death and relocation of voters. “A major reason for the higher difference in urban constituencies such as Thrikkakara, Ernakulam, Thripunithura, Aluva, and Kalamassery could be a considerable size of floating population in those constituencies. Those who have not been located in the latest list include employees of public sector companies who must have returned to their hometowns along with their family after their retirement,” the official said.
