Karnataka’s Nomadic Tribes Face Voter Registration Hurdles During Special Electoral Roll Revision

In Karnataka’s Belagavi district, members of nomadic communities are struggling to register their names during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The exercise, aimed at updating voter lists, has exposed significant barriers for these groups, many of whom lack basic documents and have no fixed residence.

The Durugmurgi and Abbepari communities, who are currently camped in the Yaragatti area on Bagalkot road, were visited by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) as part of the revision drive. Officials found that most members are illiterate and possess none of the standard documents required for voter registration, such as an Elector Photo Identity Card (EPIC) or even an Aadhaar card. Many have never been enrolled as voters, and their migratory lifestyle makes it difficult to establish a permanent address.

According to an officer on SIR duty, several community members live in tin sheds on farmland or in temporary huts along highways. “They take up odd jobs like farm labour, bartering toys for human hair, watching over slippers outside temples, or begging. They seem more worried about losing their ration cards than about not having EPIC cards. We had to explain that non-inclusion in electoral rolls could lead to a stoppage of government benefits,” the officer said.

One of the main challenges is that the last SIR in Karnataka was conducted in 2002. BLOs are now advising those who were previously registered in other districts to travel to their old constituencies to submit enumeration forms there. However, for nomadic communities that have been shifting constantly, this is not a practical solution. “Some have no documents linking them to any specific place. We are including names only if they have proof connecting them to Belagavi district. Others are being told to go to Bagalkot or other districts,” said a supervising officer.

In response to the difficulties, volunteers from the civil society group Eddelu Karnataka visited the communities and offered assistance. “Most had not filled the enumeration forms at all. Some returned only one copy. We sat with them, collected their details, and filled the forms on their behalf,” said M. M. Makandar, the group’s convenor. The volunteers also managed to submit the forms to the BLOs, but many eligible adults remain unregistered. Families without phones have been identified, and the volunteers have requested officials to allow multiple members of a joint family to use a single contact number for registration.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan has assured that the matter will be taken up on a priority basis. “We have directed officers to take special care so that members of nomadic tribes, who do not reside in one place permanently, are included on the electoral rolls. Even if one member of a family is traced, we are asking BLOs to fill forms for all family members,” he said. Instructions have also been issued to ensure that migrant labourers and other vulnerable groups are not left out of the SIR exercise.

The situation highlights a broader concern about the inclusion of marginalised communities in India’s democratic process. While the Election Commission has provisions for citizens without standard documentation, awareness and accessibility remain significant hurdles. Experts argue that continuous engagement by civil society and officials is necessary to ensure that the right to vote is not limited by one’s ability to navigate bureaucratic procedures.

For the nomadic tribes in Belagavi, the immediate need is for a flexible and compassionate approach from authorities, one that recognises their unique circumstances. The Deputy Commissioner’s instructions are a step in the right direction, but implementation on the ground will determine whether these communities truly gain a place in the electoral roll. As the SIR continues, the hope is that no eligible citizen is left behind due to their social or economic condition.