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MLA Ashok Kumar Rai speaks at a training workshop organised by the Block Congress Committee for its booth level agents on special intensive revision of electoral rolls on January 3, 2026, at Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district. Photo: Special Arrangement
Speaking at a training workshop for Congress party’s booth level agents (BLAs) at Vitla in his constituency, he wondered how the Commission could commence the mapping process in the absence of the formal declaration of SIR in the state. There have been many complaints from the electors about the mapping process, he told an official involved in the mapping process over telephone.
Congress BLAs who participated in the workshop told the MLA that the booth level officials were not providing proper information to the electors and have been conducting mapping at their whim. It appears that even BLOs did not undergo any training about mapping or were not properly briefed about the process by the Commission. They were taking signatures of electors on blanks papers, the BLAs told the MLA.
Mr. Rai, who called the official concerned, asked him to halt the process for the time being. The issue needs to be discussed in a meeting to be attended by the Puttur Assistant Commissioner and other officials involved in the SIR process. People should be given adequate information about the SIR process; mapping could be taken up only thereafter, he said.
Speaking at a similar workshop organised by Puttur Block Congress Committee in Puttur on Saturday (January 3), Mr. Rai voiced public apprehension about possible deletion of electors, who have gone abroad for work or who have been residing outside the constituency, from the rolls. He asked the BLAs to educate electors about verifying the rolls and ensuring that their names continue to be present in the rolls. Block Congress President Krishnaprasad Alva was present.
Published – January 04, 2026 12:00 pm IST
