The Karnataka police have obtained a court search warrant to search the office premises of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator and the party’s booth level agent (BLA) Motkar Srinivas submitting representations to remove over 7,500 people from the electoral roll in Ballari, a police officer said on Monday.
“The case relates to a representation Srinivas submitted to election officials on September 21 seeking action against 7,561 voters in the Ballari City assembly constituency.
He cited reasons such as voters having shifted residence, being registered elsewhere or being absent,” said the officer.
Gautham subsequently approached the police, alleging that Srinivas attempted to illegally disenfranchise eligible voters from the electoral rolls. The BJP has criticised the police action, calling for a protest in Ballari and threatening a statewide agitation if cases against its workers continue. “No legal action should be taken against our workers. Leader of the Opposition in the assembly R. The circular does not link the alleged bulk applications to any political party. It instead instructs election officials to establish through inquiry whether claims or objections were knowingly false before taking legal action.
Srinivas submitted a representation for removal of the 7,561 voters on grounds that they were absent, relocated, or registered elsewhere, according to the police. The police move follows state home minister Priyank Kharge ordering the police to act against people who were submitting bulk submission of Form 7 for deletion of voters. Ashoka said submitting Form 7 was not a crime.
When election authorities rejected his request due to a lack of supporting evidence, Srinivas returned the following day demanding a re-verification.
If harassment continues, we will launch a statewide agitation,” said former chief minister BS Yediyurappa. “It is the Election Commission, not the police, that must determine the validity of a voter,” he said.
