Karnataka CM seeks probe into alleged misuse of Form 7 during SIR

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has sought a comprehensive investigation, including a criminal probe, into the alleged misuse of Form 7 to seek deletion of voters' names from electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

In a video message, Shivakumar alleged that BJP leaders and workers were filing Form 7 applications, allegedly at the direction of party leaders, to seek the deletion of names of minorities, poor people and Dalits.

He said several Congress leaders had submitted documents relating to cases in which Form 7 applications were allegedly filed fraudulently in their constituencies.

“There is a need for a comprehensive investigation and a criminal investigation within the framework of law into this matter,” Shivakumar said.

The chief minister alleged that the issue was not limited to a few constituencies and claimed that similar instances had been reported in the constituencies of several sitting and former legislators, including Minister Eshwar Khandre's Bhalki constituency, Nayana Motamma's Mudigere constituency and Tanveer Sait's Narasimharaja constituency.

“If this is happening in the constituencies of our MLAs, it indicates that a major conspiracy is taking place across the state,” he alleged.

Shivakumar claimed that more than one crore names had been removed from electoral rolls during the SIR process and that notices had been issued to more than 50 lakh voters. He said the claims and objections process was currently underway.

“As your Chief Minister, as a public servant, I'm trying to protect your votes, but I feel I have failed. I have to accept this,” he said.

He urged Booth Level Agents (BLAs), Booth Level Agents-2 (BLA-2s), legislators, party workers and voters to immediately share information about alleged Form 7 applications seeking deletion of their names or those of other voters.

Shivakumar said he would meet election officials on Thursday and raise the issue with the media, along with documents and other information collected from across the state.

He also appealed to party functionaries and voters to submit details of the alleged Form 7 applications to his office so that the matter could be taken up with the Election Commission.  (with inputs from PTI)