Karnataka CEO orders door-to-door SIR form distribution

Karnataka CEO V Anbukkumar on Friday instructed officials to issue necessary directions to all BLOs to visit houses and distribute enumeration forms for the SIR as per the ECI’s guidelines. The instructions came following complaints that some Booth Level Officers were not visiting houses and were instead distributing forms from offices or other locations.

“As per the directions, guidelines and schedule issued by the Election Commission of India, distribution of enumeration forms to voters began in Karnataka on June 30. However, some complaints have been received alleging that BLOs are not visiting houses and are distributing the forms from offices,” Anbukkumar said in a letter to all district election officers. “In view of the above complaints, you are hereby instructed to issue necessary directions to all BLOs to visit houses for the distribution of enumeration forms as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India and strictly adhere to the ECI’s directions and guidelines regarding all aspects of the Special Intensive Revision,” he said.

He said that voters who find it difficult to fill out the enumeration forms have the option of visiting Voter Facilitation Centres for assistance, and that this facility should be publicised.

The house-to-house enumeration phase of the SIR in Karnataka, which commenced on June 30, will continue till July 29.

JD(S) leader and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday alleged massive irregularities in the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls in the State.

Releasing video recordings of exercises being conducted at a community hall in Ramanagara and in Kunigal, he accused the ruling Congress of violating Election Commission procedures by influencing the exercise.

Accusing the Congress Government and ruling party legislators of misusing BLOs by exerting pressure on and exploiting them, State BJP president BY Vijayendra claimed officials were being made to sit inside mosques to complete the SIR process.