THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala’s upcoming assembly election has an unusual distinction. This time, the contest may be shaped as much by the voters’ list as by the parties, ideologies, and candidates.
After a gap of 25 years, the Election Commission of India carried out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll, aimed at producing a cleaner database through rigorous verification of existing voters and fresh enrolments in line with the amended provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955.
The ‘deep cleansing’ appears to have impacted the state’s overall voter numbers. Kerala, which had consistently recorded a rise in voters in successive elections, has now seen a drop of over seven lakh following the SIR.
When the roll was frozen in October 2025 prior to the exercise, the electorate stood at 2.78 crore. As per the final list released on March 23, the number has declined to 2.71 crore.
Political scientist G Gopakumar noted that the SIR process concluded without major complaints from political parties. “The exercise has ensured a more level playing field for all stakeholders, and the Election Commission deserves credit,” he said.
“At the same time, a triangular contest could make the outcome highly unpredictable.”
A detailed analysis of the pre- and post-SIR rolls by TNIE reveals several trends. Statewide, voter numbers declined in 93 of the 140 constituencies, with sharper reductions in southern Kerala.
Significantly, all 47 constituencies that recorded an increase are in north Kerala. Every Assembly segment in Malappuram, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts registered a rise in voters after the revision.
Meanwhile, down south, four constituencies in Thiruvananthapuram district and one in Ernakulam district (Ernakulam assembly constituency) stood out with a sharp decline of over 30,000 voters each.
Overall, in 41 constituencies across Kerala, the decline ranged between 10,000 and 20,000, while 27 others saw reductions of 5,000 to 10,000. In 20 of them, the dip was below 5,000.
These shifts are significant in a state where electoral outcomes are often decided by narrow margins in tightly contested triangular fights.
Thiruvananthapuram district recorded the steepest fall, with 3.03 lakh voters removed from the rolls. The sharpest declines were seen in Thiruvananthapuram, Vattiyoorkavu, Nemom, and Kazhakkoottam constituencies, where the drop ranged between 30,000 and 46,000. Notably, these are seats where the BJP-led NDA is aiming for significant electoral gains.
“The steep decline in urban constituencies in Thiruvananthapuram was on expected lines, given that a comprehensive roll cleansing was undertaken after many years,” said BJP state vice-president K Soman, attributing the deletions largely to the removal of deceased voters, duplicate entries, and those who had migrated abroad.
“With a cleansed electoral roll, the coming election is likely to be among the most transparent in recent years.”
Ironically, Malappuram district, which saw intense political debate over the SIR, recorded a net increase of 2.19 lakh voters. Tirur registered the highest rise of 21,505, followed by Vengara with 20,025. In 13 of the district’s 16 constituencies, the increase ranged between 10,000 and 22,000.
CPM state secretariat member M V Jayarajan, who represented the party in Election Commission meetings on the SIR, said the surge could be linked to a perception that the exercise targeted Muslim voters.
“Such concerns triggered higher enrolment in Malappuram and parts of northern Kerala,” he pointed out. “Many overseas voters who were previously not on the rolls got themselves registered, contributing to the increase.”
Jayarajan added that political parties in the region were proactive in enrolling voters to safeguard their respective support bases.
Congress leader M M Hassan said the controversies over the SIR were unwarranted, as its objective was to cleanse the electoral roll.
“During the exercise, the Congress and UDF constituents ensured that all genuine voters were included,” he added.
“There were instances where the ruling party attempted to exclude some voters using the state machinery, but we effectively countered such moves.”