The controversy over Karnataka’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has widened beyond allegations of individual errors, with voters in Bhalki, Vijayapura and Belagavi alleging that large numbers of Form 7 applications were filed to seek deletion of names, including those of Muslim electors.
“It has been reported that fake applications were submitted using mobile numbers from outside the state, allegedly with the intention of deleting names of eligible Muslim voters from the electoral roll in my constituency. The residents say the applications contain their voter details but were filed by people who do not live in the village. They allege that voters who have lived in Nittur for decades were described as having permanently shifted or being absent. “The forms contain voters’ names and EPIC numbers along with applicant names, mobile numbers and signatures, but no date of submission. When we call the mobile numbers mentioned, they are found to be from Mysuru and Bengaluru areas. For elderly voters, the prospect of losing their names from the roll has added a personal dimension to the dispute. I have been casting my vote here for nearly fifty years. No one else’s votes have been deleted, why target only us Muslims? I cannot read or write. They are making us feel as though we have no rights. The issue has also surfaced elsewhere during the SIR.
In Bhalki Assembly constituency in Bidar district, more than 500 such applications were filed across polling stations 51, 52, 53 and 54 in Nittur (B), according to information obtained by Hindustan Times. Booths 52 and 53 have a sizeable Muslim electorate. More than 1,000 Muslim voters are also facing objections at polling stations 129, 107, 111, 112, 114 and 115 in Bhalki town. “I am around 70 years old. In Babaleshwar, large and medium industries minister MB Patil said objections had been filed against 1,607 voters and later withdrawn. He said about 14,000 objections had also been filed and withdrawn in Vijayapura City.
There appears to be an attempt to create fake documents and deprive us of our voting rights,” he said. Now we have been told someone has filled forms to get our votes deleted. Please don’t delete our votes,” said Akbar Bi. Rural development and panchayat raj minister Eshwar B Khandre, who represents Bhalki, said he had received reports of the alleged irregularities and sought a factual report from the district election officer and deputy commissioner. If true, it would amount to a serious attempt to deprive eligible citizens of their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote and undermine the integrity of the electoral process,” Khandre told HT.
