EC assured action over false Form 7 applications: Shivakumar
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday night said the Election Commission had assured action against those who knowingly file false claims or objections in electoral forms, following complaints over the alleged bulk submission of Form 7 applications seeking the deletion of voters.
Shivakumar, accompanied by members of his Cabinet and senior Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president B.K. Hariprasad and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, met officials at the Election Commission office and submitted a detailed representation on the issue.
He subsequently staged a protest.
Addressing reporters later, Shivakumar alleged that thousands of Form 7 applications had been generated and distributed at the grassroots level, containing details such as EPIC numbers and voters’ names.
He alleged that attempts had been made to use these forms to delete eligible voters from the electoral rolls.
“We have found many cases. Many issues have come to my notice,” Shivakumar alleged, claiming that leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)] had been involved in fraud, illegal activities and a criminal conspiracy against eligible voters.
He claimed that attempts to delete voters had been reported in several constituencies, with the number of applications in some places running into thousands.
He also alleged that the exercise disproportionately targeted minorities, backward classes, Dalits and economically weaker sections.
According to Shivakumar, several voters had already lodged complaints and FIRs in different districts after finding their names or voting rights affected.
He also claimed that some political leaders had admitted to receiving Form 7 applications from senior party leaders.
The Chief Minister said BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka had stated that around 25,000 forms had been distributed.
“Whether it is one, 10, 25,000 or 25 lakh, the investigation will take its own course. Where were these forms printed? How were they printed? Who distributed them?” he asked.
Shivakumar said the Election Commission had subsequently directed Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) not to approve Form 7 applications except in cases involving death or duplicate entries.
For deletion on account of death, uploading a death certificate is now compulsory. At the same time, in cases of duplicate entries, the second EPIC number must be mentioned in the BLO remarks, he said.
The Chief Minister also said the Election Commission had assured him it would take action against applicants who knowingly make false statements or declarations in Forms 6, 6A, 7 and 8.
According to the communication cited by Shivakumar, EROs have been directed to take action under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, against applicants who knowingly make false statements or declarations.
Such action, it said, would be preceded by an inquiry under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
Shivakumar said he had cancelled a Cabinet meeting and remained at the Election Commission office while seeking action on the complaints.
“It is my bound duty as Chief Minister to protect the votes of the citizens of the state. It is my bound duty to protect every section of the people,” he said.
He added that the police would investigate the FIRs already registered and that the government would not interfere in the process.
“The law will take its own course. It is my bound duty to protect every voter,” Shivakumar said.