‘Vote Vandi’, a model of Electric Voting Machine (EVM) awareness demonstration vehicles launched in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday as part of voter awareness campaigns ahead of polling booths in 2026. | Photo credit: JAYAMOHAN A.
Hearings under the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of the Electoral Roll have been completed in 122 council constituencies, although the hearing and verification phase is due to end on Saturday (February 14).
So far, 39,297 persons have been excluded from the electoral roll after the hearing, Chief Electoral Officer (Kerala) Rathan U. Kelkar said on Friday. Hearings in the remaining constituencies are expected to be completed by Saturday.
The names removed from the list include those of 4,217 voters who died during the SIR enumeration, 1,630 individuals who renounced Indian citizenship and 33,450 individuals who changed their seats.
After proper verification and on sufficient grounds, they were excluded, Mr. Kelkar said.
The CEO is expected to hold a meeting with political parties on the SIR result on Tuesday.
EC officials to visit Kerala
Senior officials of the Election Commission (EC) of India will visit Kerala on February 22 and 23 in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly elections, Mr. Kelkar said. The EC delegation will consist of deputy election commissioners who head various departments in the EC.
“We will present to them the steps we have taken for the conduct of the elections. Based on their feedback, we will fill any gaps in the system,” he said.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is also expected to visit the state later, though the schedule has not been finalised.
Training plans for election officials have also been finalized in preparation for the elections, Mr. Kelkar said.
Vandi voting has been disabled
Mr. Kelkar flagged off ‘Vote Vandi’ – model demonstration vehicles to create awareness about Electric Voting Machines (EVMs) in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday as part of voter awareness campaigns ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.
There will be one van for each assembly constituency. Vehicles for 14 constituencies in Thiruvananthapuram district were stopped from Kanakakkunnu Palace grounds on Friday.
Published – 13 Feb 2026 19:48 IST