Kerala unveils measures to tackle 'citizenship woes'

Kerala government unveiled a twin set of measures aimed at easing what Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan described as growing “citizenship-related anxieties” and ensuring that no eligible voter is denied the right to vote.

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The state Cabinet approved the introduction of a permanent, photo-based nativity card with legal backing, even as the government announced extensive facilitation steps to assist voters affected by the ongoing intensive revision of electoral rolls.

Addressing the media, Vijayan said the Election Commission’s 2025 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) had resulted in the removal of 2,408,503 names from the draft voter list, while another 19.32 lakh voters would have to undergo fresh verification to retain their voting rights.

According to Vijayan, many of those now excluded had figured in earlier electoral rolls and had voted in the 2021 Assembly elections and the 2024 parliamentary polls.