Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukkumar on Thursday night ordered election officials to initiate legal proceedings against people who knowingly submit false claims or objections regarding changes to electoral rolls.
The order comes as chief minister DK Shivakumar staged an protest alleging an organised effort to remove voters through Form 7 applications during the Special Intensive Revision .
Our protest won’t stop till we can take it to a logical end. Cabinet colleagues and legislators joined him. He also alleged that minorities, Dalits and tribal communities were being targeted. “There are many instances of individuals filing multiple applications in different names for deleting voters. Congress state unit president BK Hariprasad, former CM Siddaramaiah and several legislators and MPs had also joined the protest.
In a circular sent to district election officers and Electoral Registration Officers in all 224 Assembly constituencies, Anbukkumar said his office had received reports of bulk Form 7 applications and allegations that some of the applications were not genuine. “It has come to the notice of this office that there are instances of filing of bulk applications in Form 7 before the EROs. The CEO directed EROs to take action against applicants who knowingly make false statements or declarations in Forms 6, 6A, 7 and 8 under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Such action, the circular said, must follow an inquiry under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The chief minister submitted a memorandum seeking a criminal case and a detailed investigation into alleged attempts to delete eligible voters through large numbers of Form 7 applications. “In two assembly constituencies in Ballari, 13,000 Form 7 applications were submitted and withdrawn. In Vijayapura, apart from Babaleshwar, 13,000 applications were submitted and withdrawn,” he said. Earlier reporting noted: This follows a six-hour dharna by chief minister DK Shivakumar and his cabinet colleagues over alleged attempts to delete eligible voters through bulk filing of Form 7 applications during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Earlier reporting noted: The directive came after a day-long high drama at the CEO’s office, where Shivakumar staged a dharna from 2.45 pm until around 9 pm, demanding a criminal case and a probe into the alleged mass filing of applications seeking deletion of voters’ names.
It is also alleged that such forms are not genuine,” the circular said. Shivakumar said the protest would continue until the Election Commission ordered an investigation. Minorities, Dalits, tribals are being targeted to remove their names from electoral roll under Special Intensive Revision,” he said. Shivakumar said: “It is a historical day for us.
Earlier reporting noted: Congress called off the protest following the order. The directive came as Shivakumar and his cabinet colleagues began a protest outside the CEO’s office in Bengaluru on Thursday evening.
