Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, on Thursday alleged that BJP and Janata Dal (S) leaders and workers were involved in a criminal conspiracy to delete around 50 lakh eligible voters from the electoral rolls through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
He demanded that the Election Commission register cases against those allegedly attempting to exclude eligible voters belonging to minorities, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and Economically Weaker Sections from the electoral rolls using pre-filled Form 7 applications.
CM Shivakumar claimed that 1.07 crore voter names had already been excluded during the SIR process in Karnataka and that notices had been issued to 45 lakh voters. Despite this, he alleged, an attempt was now underway to delete another 50 lakh voters from the rolls.
Addressing a press conference at his home office Krishna, CM Shivakumar alleged that BJP and Janata Dal (S) workers had submitted Form 7 applications containing pre-filled voter details to Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in several Assembly constituencies with the intention of getting voters’ names deleted.
“This is a criminal conspiracy and a systematic attempt to create communal hatred and disturb communal harmony,” he alleged.
CM Shivakumar claimed that more than 1,600 such applications had been submitted in Babaleshwar, while 14,000 applications were submitted in Vijayapura and 3,244 in Bhalki. He said similar attempts had been detected in Bhalki, Narasimharajapura, Belagavi and several other constituencies.
According to the Chief Minister, attempts had also been made in some constituencies to delete 5,000 to 10,000 voters. Members of a civil society group led by actor Prakash Raj had visited polling stations and collected information, he said.
“Official BJP workers have submitted hundreds of such Form 7 applications in their own names. In some places, BJP workers have admitted their mistakes,” CM Shivakumar said.
He questioned where the forms containing pre-filled information were being printed and who was behind the alleged exercise. He urged the Election Commission to identify everyone involved and initiate strict legal action.
He urged the State Election Commission to immediately register FIRs, conduct a comprehensive investigation and take legal action against those responsible.
“Our government is committed to protecting the voting rights of every citizen of the state,” he said, adding that the police would register cases and investigate the alleged conspiracy.
CM Shivakumar said he would lead a delegation of ministers to the State Election Commission office to submit a memorandum seeking immediate action. He warned that ministers would stage a sit-in at the office until the Commission took appropriate action.
Alleging that the BJP and Janata Dal (S) were resorting to such tactics because they could not win elections, CM Shivakumar said Karnataka would not allow such activities.
He also reiterated his demand for the cancellation of the SIR, describing the exercise as a “major fraud”. He questioned how such activities could take place without the knowledge of the Chief Electoral Officer.
CM Shivakumar said the state government had extended full cooperation to the Election Commission since the SIR began and had appointed 54,000 BLA-2 representatives.
He urged the authorities to protect every eligible voter’s right to vote, arrest those involved in the alleged exercise and initiate criminal proceedings against anyone found to have exerted pressure on BLOs.
(IANS)
