Karnataka has received 91,278 Form 7 applications during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, but not a single voter has been removed on the basis of an objection so far, Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukumar said on Monday.
The concerned Electoral Registration Officer must conduct an inquiry before deciding whether a name should be removed. “If any name is to be removed from the draft voters list, the ERO should issue a notice for inquiry. The person who filed the objection and the concerned voters should be called for questioning. “Thus, not a single voter’s name has been removed so far. I have clearly instructed all the EROs to take necessary action.
The applications, received between June 16 and October 4, have become a key part of the revision process, with the Election Commission facing questions over objections seeking deletion of names from the rolls. He said the procedure is governed by Rules 16 to 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Form 7 is used to object to a proposed inclusion or deletion of a name in the existing electoral roll. The CEO’s office said no Form 7 applications had been received objecting to proposed inclusion of names. Anbukumar also directed EROs to take legal action against applicants who intentionally make false statements or declarations in Form 6, Form 6A, Form 7 or Form 8. The CEO’s office said such action should follow an inquiry under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and may be taken under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
Anbukumar said an application alone cannot result in deletion. The officer can take a decision on whether the name should be removed or not only after examining the documents,” Anbukumar said. If the officers are convinced that action is necessary after the inquiry, they will take action as per the law,” he said. “Inquiries have been completed in 36,89,063 cases, or 84.69%, while 6,66,755 remain pending,” he said. The CEO’s office said the names of people issued notices under the no mapping and anomalies categories have been published on its website following requests from registered and recognised political parties.
