Kerala voter enrolment drive begins on Thursday to update electoral rolls

A special voter enrolment drive across Kerala begins on Thursday, October 15, as part of nationwide efforts by the Election Commission of India to update and verify electoral rolls. The campaign runs until October 31, providing residents with an accessible window to register their names and ensure complete accuracy before upcoming elections.

State election authorities have simplified the enrolment process to encourage maximum public participation. Chief Electoral Officer D. Sajith Babu confirmed that citizens seeking inclusion in the voter list need only submit Form 6. No supplementary declaration forms will be required, cutting down administrative paperwork and streamlining entry for first-time and missing voters.

To maintain rigorous field oversight, the Chief Electoral Officer and Additional CEOs will conduct random inspections across districts throughout the fortnight, reviewing on-ground progress and the verification pipeline.

How to apply and verify

Citizens can complete the enrolment process digitally or through dedicated local facilities. Digital help desks are operating across village offices from October 15 to October 31 to assist applicants who need technical guidance or lack internet access.

Applicants can also submit their details independently online through the official Citizen Service Portal or via the Voter Helpline mobile application. Once an application is lodged online, booth-level officers will conduct door-to-door physical verification to ensure that voter details match residential records.

Applicants must provide any approved document that confirms their identity, photograph, age, and current address. For individuals who present Aadhaar as proof, the election authority requires one additional supporting document to complete the verification.

Correcting gaps and youth outreach

The drive follows specific directives issued earlier this month to electoral registration officers. Officials were instructed to examine and resolve discrepancies between the voter list published on January 1, 2025, and the revised roll enacted after the Assembly elections.

Officers are also carrying out dedicated verifications for applications previously marked as uncollected during the Special Intensive Revision that did not appear on post-election registers. This administrative audit ensures that no eligible applicant is left behind due to procedural bottlenecks.

Alongside administrative checks, the state election machinery is running an outreach programme titled 'Campus to Booth' across colleges and schools. The initiative aims to familiarise young citizens with civic participation and secure timely voter registration for newly eligible youth as soon as they turn eighteen.