Bharat Ratna CNR Rao Receives SIR Notice Over Name Spelling Mismatch
Published
Updated
2 min read 3 views
Bengaluru, Sept 9: Bharat Ratna awardee and eminent scientist Prof C.N.R. Rao has been issued a notice by election authorities to establish his identity following a mismatch in the spelling of his name in Karnataka’s electoral records during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The notice issued to the 92-year-old scientist has drawn attention to the extensive nature of the electoral roll verification exercise, under which discrepancies in legacy voter records are being scrutinised.
Prof Rao has been asked to appear for a hearing and provide supporting documents to clarify the discrepancy and facilitate correction of his electoral records. The notice is part of the verification process and does not involve any allegation of wrongdoing.
The discrepancy reportedly relates to differences in the manner in which his name appears in earlier electoral records and current documents, prompting election officials to seek clarification.
Karnataka is currently undertaking an extensive verification of its electoral rolls, with voters whose particulars do not match existing records being asked to substantiate their entries. More than 43 lakh voters have reportedly been issued notices as part of the exercise.
The development comes days after a similar SIR notice was reportedly issued to Padma Shri awardee Harekala Hajabba over differences between his name in an earlier electoral roll and his current official documents.
Prof Rao, one of India’s most distinguished scientists, was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2014 for his contributions to science. He is the Founder President of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research in Bengaluru.
The case has brought into focus the discrepancies that can persist in electoral records over decades and the verification mechanism being used by authorities to reconcile such differences.
Election authorities are continuing the SIR exercise as part of the process of updating and finalising Karnataka’s electoral rolls.
