Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday denied the Opposition’s allegations of “influencing” the ongoing Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls, even as the BJP and JD(S) accused the administration of deviating from Election Commission procedures and seeking formal intervention.
Shivakumar said the Congress government has nothing to gain by manipulating the SIR process, which began across the state on June 30. “Their mission has always been to blame the government,” Shivakumar told reporters when asked about the accusations leveled by the BJP and the JD(S).
The Prime Minister also rejected allegations that election officials were registering voters from central locations instead of visiting households. “We have asked everyone to retain their voting power in an effort to ensure their rights are protected,” he said.
Shivakumar added that the Congress itself has grievances about the Election Commission and will pursue these concerns through legal means.
Even as the state government defended the practice, the BJP strengthened its appeal to the EC, arguing that the review was carried out in a way that could jeopardize electoral rolls. A delegation led by BJP state president BJ Vijayendra submitted a memorandum to the office of the chief electoral officer seeking an inquiry into the conduct of SIR across Karnataka.
According to the memorandum, the party wants the committee to decide whether mandatory house-to-house verification by cabin level officers (BLOs) is replaced by camp-based verification at community halls. The BJP said such a departure could lead to registration of ineligible individuals, including illegal immigrants and other people who are not eligible to register as voters, affecting the integrity of the voters list.
The memorandum further stated that elected representatives, civil society organizations, party workers and members of the public have raised concerns about how the practice is being carried out. It also claimed that the BLOs were prevented from performing their statutory duties as per the EC guidelines.
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy also urged the EC to scrap the ongoing review and start the exercise afresh, alleging widespread political interference by the ruling Congress.
Congress rejected the opposition’s assertions, arguing that they misrepresented how the review process worked on the ground.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson M Lakshmana said there was nothing improper in voters filling up forms at designated public places with the help of BLOs. “How can the process be manipulated just because the forms are filled out in one place?” he asked.
BLOs carry out their official responsibilities by helping voters complete the required paperwork, Lakshmana said. “What’s wrong with BLOs helping voters complete forms?” He said.
Lakshmana claimed that similar review exercises in West Bengal and Bihar had “benefited” the BJP, and claimed that the party was trying to use the same “strategy” in Karnataka. He also claimed that the names of Congress supporters had been removed from the electoral rolls in states where the process had already ended.
“The Congress has always ensured that the names of genuine voters are included in the electoral rolls during revisions in the past. The BJP is trying to delete the names of Congress supporters during the SIR,” he alleged.
Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai added another set of allegations, alleging that the audit process in Ron and Gadag assembly constituencies was marred by duplicate entries and procedural violations. “The process has been in vain. Community organizations are absent from service, and forms are being filled in groups inside mosques, temples and welfare halls. Regulations have been thrown to the winds,” Bommai said.
He alleged that former Minister HK Patel’s name appeared three times in different polling booths and claimed that Ron’s constituency had 3,804 fake votes while Gadag had 2,305 duplicate or triple entries. Bommai also alleged that the name of Lahsab Nadav appeared several times in Ron’s electoral lists. “If the name of a senior minister is repeated, imagine the plight of ordinary citizens,” he said. “This is not just negligence, this is manipulation,” Bommai added.
