Over 8,000 Unmapped Voters Attend Hearings to Secure Voting Rights in Ernakulam
January 7, 2026
Three women—a Gulf returnee, a homemaker, and a young professional—feared losing their voting rights. They were in the ‘no mapping’ category during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls. On Wednesday, they attended hearings in Ernakulam district and were reassured they could vote in upcoming Assembly elections.
These women are among 8,195 'unmapped' electors who showed up in the first two days of hearings. These voters were included in draft lists but could not be linked to the 2002 base voter list.
Renuka Ouseph, who returned from Qatar, said, "I was born and brought up at Thumpamon and moved to Mannar after marriage. I lived abroad long before returning. I was not on the 2002 voters’ list but have shared my relatives’ details from 2002. Somehow I was added to the no mapping list. I showed my passport at the hearing and was told my name will appear on the new list so I can vote."
The hearing at Sree Narayana Gurudeva Nursery School auditorium saw 106 of 112 people turn up by 3 p.m. Officials were surprised by the good turnout, especially since urban areas had been hard to trace earlier.
Some voters like Joy Paul attended on behalf of their family members and got verification done easily. Officials took photos and uploaded them online. For those unable to appear, videoconferences were held with screenshots taken.
Others at hearings explained the mapping issues often happened due to moves between areas or parents not being enrolled in 2002. Some errors were caused by wrong submissions of details.
In Ernakulam district, the most voters attended hearings in Thrikkakara (969), Kochi (943), and Thripunithura (870) constituencies. Kothamangalam saw the least, with just 56 appearances in two days.
The special revision process continues, aiming to ensure no voter is left behind in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Read More at Thehindu →
Tags:
Voter rolls
Special intensive revision
Voter rights
Assembly elections
India
Ernakulam
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