The Election Commission has issued a clarification regarding a report claiming that Bharat Ratna awardee and eminent scientist Prof. C.N.R. Rao was served a notice over a name mismatch during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka.
According to the Election Commission, Prof. C.N.R. Rao is a registered voter in Part No. 59 of the 157-Malleswaram Assembly Constituency and his name figures in the current draft electoral roll.
The poll panel said the SIR enumeration form was personally handed over to Rao at his residence by senior officials, including the State SVEEP Nodal Officer, the Commissioner of Bengaluru West City Corporation, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of Malleswaram and the Booth Level Officer (BLO) attached to Part No. 59.
Name mismatch found during SIR verification
The Election Commission acknowledged that a discrepancy was noticed while comparing Rao's details in the current draft electoral roll with those in the 2002 electoral roll.
The current draft roll reportedly carries the name as “Proff C.N.R. Rao S/O Nagesh Rav. H”, whereas the 2002 electoral roll contains the entry “Rama S/O H. Nagesh”.
However, the Election Commission said the discrepancy did not result in a notice being issued to Rao or any member of his family.
Following verification, the BLO reportedly recommended the electoral record for final approval by the Additional Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) appointed for the SIR process.
Electoral record approved for final roll
The Election Commission further stated that the AERO approved the record on September 8, 2026, clearing it for inclusion in the final electoral roll.
The clarification comes after a report in The Hindu carried the headline “SIR: Bharat Ratna C.N.R. Rao served notice over name mismatch”. The Election Commission has described the report as “factually incorrect”, maintaining that no notice was served on the scientist or his family.
The poll panel has also cited statements from the 157-ERO, Malleswaram, along with a video statement from the BLO of Part No. 59, as part of its factual clarification.
Election Commission rejects notice claim
The development effectively puts the record straight on the circumstances surrounding Rao's voter entry. While a mismatch between his current and 2002 electoral records was identified during the SIR exercise, the Election Commission said the matter was handled through verification by election officials and did not lead to a personal hearing notice.
With the AERO approving the record for the final electoral roll, the Election Commission said the facts surrounding Prof. C.N.R. Rao's voter record speak for themselves.
