Even as political parties have raised concerns over the proposed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, their response in appointing Booth Level Agents (BLAs) across Karnataka has remained uneven.

Election officials said BLAs play a key role in coordinating with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during electoral roll revision exercises and in facilitating communication between political parties and election authorities. While BLAs do not interfere in the registration process, they help identify discrepancies in electoral rolls at the polling station level.

Although one BLA is expected for each polling station, the Congress and BJP together have so far appointed only about half the required number of 59,050, according to official data.

The Congress has appointed 28,848 BLAs across Karnataka, while the BJP has named 25,827 agents. The JD(S) has appointed 811 BLAs. Other recognised parties, including the AAP, BSP, NPP and CPI(M), have not reported any appointments so far.

However, representatives of these parties have disputed the official figures. Congress leaders claimed their party was leading in appointments, while the BJP maintained that it had appointed more than 40,000 BLAs. The JD(S) said it had appointed nearly 12,000 BLAs. All three parties alleged that the Election Commission had not fully updated the data submitted by them.

Highest in Belagavi

Belagavi recorded the highest combined BLA strength with 5,747 appointments, followed by Mysuru with 3,927 and Bagalkot with 3,570.

The erstwhile BBMP jurisdiction together accounted for a sizeable number of appointments. While the Central division reported 1,895 BLAs, North and South divisions recorded 788 and 670 respectively.

The BJP maintained a strong presence in districts such as Belagavi, Ballari, Kalaburagi and Vijayanagara, whereas the Congress registered higher numbers in Mysuru, Dakshina Kannada, and Vijayapura.

Some districts such as Chamarajanagar, Ramanagara, Shivamogga, and Yadgir, reported no BLA appointments from any political party, according to available data.

The JD(S) presence was limited to a few districts, with notable appointments in Raichur, Vijayapura, and Uttara Kannada.

Parties raise concerns

Meanwhile, representatives of various political parties raised concerns over the proposed SIR exercise during a meeting convened by Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbu Kumar in Bengaluru on Monday (May 18).

According to sources, BJP representatives flagged practical difficulties in the enumeration process, particularly in verifying family relationships when relatives sign forms on behalf of absent voters during BLO visits.

They also raised concerns over migrant workers who had moved to Bengaluru and other cities for employment while continuing to remain on electoral rolls in their native places. BJP leaders said completing the SIR process within three months could create difficulties for such voters.

Congress representatives questioned the urgency of the exercise in the absence of immediate Lok Sabha or Assembly elections in the State. They urged the Election Commission to provide at least six months for voters who received notices after publication of draft rolls to respond and furnish documents. The party also sought assurance that no eligible voter among the State’s 5.55 crore electors would be excluded.

Representatives of the JD(S), AAP, CPI, CPI(M) and BSP also placed their suggestions before the Election Commission.

Mr. Kumar is learnt to have assured political parties that the SIR process would be conducted transparently while taking all political parties and the public into confidence. He also sought cooperation from all parties for the smooth conduct of the exercise.