ELECTIONS

In Karnataka's Special Summary Revision (SIR), all enumeration forms have now been digitised. Out of the state's 5.54 crore electors, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have signed and collected forms for over 4.45 crore voters. However, 1,09,13,776 voters, representing 19.69% of the electorate, have been categorised under the Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate, and Others (ASDDO) list. Following the publication of the ASDDO list on August 4, election officials verified and removed three lakh voters from the list within the first six days. To check your registration details, search the electoral roll, or access voter verification services, visit the Chief Electoral Officer,…

While the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is currently on in Karnataka, people have been confused about voter roll updates. Following the initial chaos over filling out enumeration forms, the Election Commission of India (ECI) extended the deadline for the process.   To assist residents who lack any of the 11 standard documents specified by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the State government announced fast-track issuance of Permanent Residential Certificates (PRCs). The list of documents to prove one’s citizenship in the Claims and Objections phase of the SIR process includes birth certificate, passport, matriculation certificate, forest rights certificate, or caste certificate.…

For Rayyan Monkey, a transgender voter from Mumbai, the SIR does not just threaten her right to vote. It also risks her ability to travel freely and exist as a woman in the country. Raised abroad before moving to Mumbai, Rayyan was left unmapped on the voter lists because her parents did not vote in 2002. The only way for her to complete her progeny mapping is to provide either her grandfather’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) card or her father’s birth certificate. However, after coming out to her family, Rayyan has been estranged from her extended relatives. Her father’s documents,…

As of July 8, booth level officers (BLOs) have distributed over 4.57 crore enumeration forms for the mandatory Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Karnataka. Yet despite the 82.45% completion rate, the process has faced widespread criticism and been plagued with problems including BLO burnout, and the Kannada-only forms. If you are still figuring out how to fill the enumeration form, read Part 1 of this series. In this part, you can find answers to some common questions on filling the form, online enumeration, progeny mapping, etc. The SIR process poses specific challenges to transgender and queer communities due to changes…

Karnataka's Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which began on June 30, requires every voter to complete a fresh verification exercise. The SIR is carried out by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to prepare and revise electoral rolls, and ensure its accuracy. The process especially aims to remove deceased voters and duplicate names in the rolls, including those of  citizens who have migrated and are registered as voters in  multiple places. The election commission announced the process with the aim that ‘no eligible citizen is left out and no ineligible citizen is included in the electoral roll’. In the Special Summary…

For the average Chennaiite, the daily commute has become an arduous task of navigating peak-hour congestion, poor footpaths and an unreliable public transport system. Ahead of the Assembly elections on April 23rd, the gap between official promises and the reality on the road continues to widen. Here is what the numbers say: Currently, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) operates a fleet of 4,110 buses and launched 120 low-floor electric buses in 2025. However, experts say the city actually needs 7,000 buses for comfortable travel and better last-mile connectivity. Residents flag overcrowding and long wait times, which force many commuters, especially in…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationCandidates for 2026 pollsTop candidates2021 Polling SnapshotPrevious Results 2021Previous Results 2016Incumbent MLA:  R.D ShekarMLA profileCriminal records:MLA in the mediaKey citizen demandsAlso read Perambur is constituency number 12 in Chennai, located in the northern part of the city, and falls under the Chennai North Lok Sabha constituency. One of the largest railway coach manufacturing facilities in Asia, the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), is located in Perambur. It was established in 1955, employing thousands of workers and engineers. Key areas include the ICF colony, Perambur Barracks Road, Peravallur, Kosapet, and Kannigapuram. As per the 2011 census, the constituency has…

Table of contents Political Representation Candidates for 2026 polls Top candidates Previous Results: 2021 Previous Results: 2016 Also read: Ambattur was once a quiet municipality with abundant agricultural land; nowhere near the bustling industrial hub it has now become. In 2011, the neighbourhood was integrated into the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). Located in the northwestern part of Chennai, the Ambattur Assembly constituency is a fully urban mix of industrial, residential and commercial areas. Ambattur Industrial Estate, established in the 1960s, houses over 2,000 industrial units in the manufacturing and service sectors, while Ambit Park has become a hub for IT…

Table of contentsPolitical RepresentationCandidates for 2026 PollsTop candidates2021 Polling snapshotPrevious Results: 2021Previous Results: 2016Incumbent MLA: MK MohanMLA profileKey citizen demandsAlso read Located in the north-western part of Chennai, Anna Nagar was named after former Chief Minister CN Annadurai. Formerly known as Naduvakkarai, the residential was developed by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board in the 1970s. Characterised by a grid-layout of seven major avenues, this area boasts wide roads and designated green spaces.  Populated by the majorly upper-middle class, this constituency contains planned neighbourhoods. It also has three major metro stations, and is proximal to Koyambedu and CMBT bus stations. As…

Table of contents Political Representation Candidates for 2026 polls Top candidates Previous Results: 2021 Previous Results: 2016 Also read: Located in South Chennai, the Velachery Assembly constituency encompasses both old, planned residential localities and congested areas. It is home to major IT hubs and some of the city’s premium educational institutions, including the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras and Anna University. The constituency's demographic includes a mix of middle-class and upper middle-class residents, along with a sizeable migrant population. The constituency includes the localities of Adyar, Besant Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Tharamani, Velachery and parts of Adambakkam.  Despite being well-connected to other parts…