K’taka BJP challenges CM Shivakumar to prove conspiracy allegation over deletion of 50 lakh voters
Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Friday challenged Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to prove his allegation that the BJP had conspired to delete the names of around 50 lakh voters from the electoral rolls, and demanded that he resign if he failed to substantiate the charge.
Speaking to the media, Vijayendra said CM Shivakumar’s allegations against the BJP over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and Form-7 applications were serious, particularly his claim that the BJP was conspiring to remove the votes of Ahinda communities, Dalits, backward classes and minorities.
“As the Chief Minister himself has made such a serious allegation, he should prove it with documentary evidence. Otherwise, he should resign from the post of Chief Minister,” Vijayendra said.
Shivakumar has alleged that there was a conspiracy to remove the names of around 50 lakh voters. However, Vijayendra said the Chief Minister had not publicly produced any specific documents or evidence to support the allegation.
Vijayendra said Form-7 was not a special instrument available only to the BJP. Under Election Commission rules, it is a legal provision through which objections can be filed against names in the electoral rolls in cases involving ineligible, deceased, shifted or duplicate voters.
He said if the BJP or any other political party or eligible individual submitted Form-7 applications with the intention of helping clean up the electoral rolls, the final decision would rest with the election authorities.
“Submission of Form-7 does not automatically result in the deletion of anyone’s name from the electoral roll,” he said, adding that portraying the right to file Form-7 objections as illegal was incorrect.
Vijayendra said Shivakumar should place before the people the documents and evidence on which he had based his allegation that the BJP was conspiring to delete 50 lakh voters.
According to the information available to the BJP, he said, the number of Form-7 applications filed across the state was much lower than the figure alleged by the Chief Minister.
He also said Form-7 applications had not been filed only by BJP workers. Representatives of various political parties, Booth Level Officers and members of the public had also submitted objections.
Vijayendra said different figures regarding the number of Form-7 applications had been reported recently and that the Election Commission should clarify the final official figure.
He said the power to add or delete names from electoral rolls or decide on objections rested with the competent election authorities.
“The BJP has no authority to directly delete anyone’s name from the electoral roll. A name does not get deleted merely because a Form-7 application is submitted. A decision is taken only after the prescribed process, including verification, objections and inquiry,” he said.
He said the Chief Minister’s direct allegation that the BJP was deleting voters’ names was contrary to these facts.
Vijayendra said verification of electoral rolls was an essential part of the democratic electoral process to find names of deceased persons, duplicate registrations, voters who had shifted residence or people who were otherwise ineligible.
“If there are irregular names, they should be identified and verified. At the same time, not a single eligible voter should be unfairly removed. The Election Commission should transparently ensure both these aspects,” he said.
Vijayendra also sought verification of the increase in the number of voters in the Narasimharaja Assembly constituency in Mysuru.
He said the BJP had raised the issue of an increase of around 1.30 lakh voters in the constituency over the last two elections.
He also said information had come to the party’s attention about questions being raised locally regarding some people who had approached authorities during the SIR process to get their names added to the electoral roll.
“There are questions about some people who are residing in other constituencies but are coming here to register their names,” he said.
Vijayendra said that if such cases existed, the Election Commission should conduct a comprehensive verification without considering which political party the individuals were associated with.
CM Shivakumar on Thursday staged a dharna at the Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Bengaluru, demanding the registration of a criminal case and a probe into the alleged conspiracy to delete eligible voters’ names through Form 7 applications.
After the protest, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbukumar has directed Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) across the state to take action against applicants found to have knowingly made false declarations while filing claims and objections related to electoral rolls.
