FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

23 December 2009

CAIRN ENERGY PLC (the "Company")

Total Voting Rights

For the purposes of the provisions of the Financial Services Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules, the total number of shares in the capital of the Company in issue as at the date of this notice is as follows:

Class                        Nominal value         Number                  Voting

                                per share                in issue                     rights attached

Ordinary Shares        8/13 pence             1,396,102,950        1,396,102,950

The Company does not hold any shares in treasury.

The above figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Disclosure and Transparency Rules.