Archive · 8 Sep 2026
Harekala Hajabba Gets Karnataka SIR Notice Over Name Mismatch
Harekala Hajabba is an education activist from Karnataka who used money from selling oranges to help build a school.
He later received the Padma Shri award for his work.
During a check of voter records, officials found that an old list called him only “Hajabba.”
His newer documents call him “Harekala Hajabba.”
The Election Commission sent a notice to check whether both names belonged to the same person.
Some reports said he was asked to bring original documents to the gram panchayat.
Other reports said officials visited his home, collected documents, and withdrew the notice.
The review is part of a much larger check of Karnataka’s voter lists.
Padma Shri awardee Harekala Hajabba received an Election Commission notice during Karnataka’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
His name appeared as “Hajabba” in the 2002 electoral roll but as “Harekala Hajabba” on newer official documents.
The notice was delivered to his residence by Anganwadi workers or a booth-level election officer, according to reports.
Several reports said he was asked to present original documents at Harekala gram panchayat on September 11; another said officials visited his home and withdrew the notice after collecting documents.
More than 43.81 lakh notices were generated during Karnataka’s SIR, with the final electoral roll scheduled for publication on October 27.
- Who
- Padma Shri awardee and education activist Harekala Hajabba, along with Karnataka election officials.
- What
- Hajabba received an SIR notice because his name differed between the 2002 electoral roll and newer official documents.
- When
- The notice was issued on September 7; reports said document verification was scheduled for September 11.
- Where
- The matter concerns Harekala village in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district, including the Harekala gram panchayat.
- Why
- Officials sought to verify that “Hajabba” and “Harekala Hajabba” referred to the same voter.
Gram Panchayat Verification Account
Home-Visit Correction Account
How the discrepancy was addressed
Gram Panchayat Verification Account
Several reports said Hajabba was directed to appear before the gram panchayat on September 11 with original documents for verification.
Home-Visit Correction Account
The Times of India account said officials visited his home, collected documents, corrected the record, and spared him a trip to the office.
Whether the notice should have been issued
Gram Panchayat Verification Account
The notice was described as a routine SIR step for checking a voter whose old and current names did not match.
Home-Visit Correction Account
A village assistant said officials had instructions to resolve discrepancies involving prominent individuals without issuing notices and that the notice resulted from an oversight.
- Electoral exercise
- Special Intensive Revision of Karnataka’s electoral rolls
- Old electoral-roll name
- “Hajabba” in the 2002 voter list
- Current documented name
- “Harekala Hajabba”
- Documents cited
- Aadhaar card, ration card, passport, voter ID, and Padma Shri-related documents
- Notices generated
- More than 43.81 lakh during Karnataka’s SIR
- Notices delivered
- About 7.31 lakh, according to the state chief electoral officer
- Final-roll date
- October 27
Sources
Harekala Hajabba SIR Row: Padma Shri Awardee Gets Notice Over Name Discrepancy
Padma Shri awardee gets SIT notice over name mismatch
Karnataka Padma Shri winner Harekala Hajabba gets SIR notice over name mismatch
“Hajabba” or “Harekala Hajabba”? Padma Shri awardee gets SIR notice over name mismatch
Padma Shri awardee Harekala Hajabba from Karnataka gets SIR notice
