Election Officials Deny Notice to Scientist C.N.R. Rao

Election authorities in Karnataka have denied that a formal notice was served to eminent scientist and Bharat Ratna awardee C.N.R. Rao regarding a discrepancy in his name on the electoral roll. The clarification comes amid conflicting reports about the 92-year-old scientist being summoned for a hearing due to a "self-name mismatch." According to officials from the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer's office, no physical notice was delivered to Rao or his family. They stated that instead of a formal notice and hearing, his record was directly recommended for approval by the Booth Level Officer (BLO) and subsequently approved by the Additional Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) on September 8, 2026. This decision was reportedly made considering Rao's significant stature and contributions to the nation. Earlier reports had suggested that Rao's name was flagged for a spelling discrepancy, specifically an extra "f" in his professional title, leading to a "self-name mismatch" classification. These reports indicated that he was expected to appear for a hearing in Malleshwaram, Bengaluru.