Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday alleged that BJP and JD(S) workers had withdrawn and destroyed more than one lakh Form 7 applications after submitting them in bulk during the revision of electoral rolls, while BJP demanded that the Election Commission act against him for making what it called “unsubstantiated allegations.”
Shivakumar said that the alleged withdrawal of the forms raised questions about who had supplied the pre-filled applications and the voter information contained in them. He said an investigation was needed to establish their source and determine how they had been distributed. “Workers should tell who gave them the forms. Investigation is required,” he said.
He alleged that BJP and JD(S) workers had received between 500 and 3,000 Form 7 applications at the constituency level and later approached booth level officers to take back forms submitted in bulk. “They have burnt them. All these things happened. In all places they have collected back more than a lakh such forms, threatening the BLOs,” he said.
Shivakumar also alleged that some applications falsely declared living voters dead and questioned how those submitting the forms obtained personal electoral details. He said some people who allegedly submitted the applications did not know what they were signing or the meaning of markings on the forms.
Chief electoral officer V Anbukkumar has said that no voter has been deleted so far on the basis of Form 7 objections and that the applications would be examined through the prescribed process.
{{/usCountry}}Chief electoral officer V Anbukkumar has said that no voter has been deleted so far on the basis of Form 7 objections and that the applications would be examined through the prescribed process.
{{/usCountry}}Shivakumar said BJP leaders should themselves establish that they had submitted the required forms before questioning the action being taken over objections. He said voters who believed their names had been wrongly targeted had a responsibility to complain to the election authorities.
“Let Yediyurappa, Bommai, Kumaraswamy, Shobha, Shobha Akka, Vijayendra and Ashok certify that, yes, we have given the forms... it is the duty of anyone who feels that the vote has been snatched to file a complaint... we have gone to the election commission. The process itself in Form 7 is detailed, and they will take action as per the law. That is a different case. So if they were in our position, what would they have done?” he said.
He said the Election Commission had directed election officials to verify objections before acting on them. “I know what all ruckus they (BJP) are trying to do... It is my bound duty to protect even their voters also... Any of the names should not be deleted. So after we went, the election commission has directed all the Taluk offices, EROs, that you can’t do it without verifying it,” he said.
BJP MLC C T Ravi, meanwhile, called for the Election Commission to register a case on its own against people making what he described as baseless allegations about the electoral process. He also sought legal action against Shivakumar, saying the CM had accused BJP of attempting to remove 60 lakh to 70 lakh voters belonging to a particular community.
“A case should be registered against the CM for making such an allegation. If he cannot prove it, he should apologise publicly,” Ravi said.
Ravi questioned Shivakumar’s claims by contrasting them with the Election Commission’s figure of 91,000 Form 7 applications received. He asked the CM to explain the difference and accused him of misusing his office.
The BJP leader said genuine voters should remain on the electoral rolls but accused the Congress of carrying out “mass mapping” during the revision and attempting to shape the rolls for political advantage. “We exposed the conspiracy by filing complaints. It is because of this fear that cases are now being registered against us,” he alleged.
Ravi also challenged the argument that filing Form 7 objections was itself improper, saying the Election Commission was responsible for determining whether complaints were genuine.
“If filing a complaint itself is considered wrong, nobody will come forward to raise objections in future. In that case, the opportunity to file objections should not have been provided at all. The responsibility of verifying the authenticity of objections lies with the Election Commission,” he said.
He called for complainants’ identities to be protected and for action against those who disclosed them.
Earlier on Tuesday, Shivakumar and AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala held a video conference with Karnataka ministers, Congress MPs, MLAs and defeated candidates to discuss the electoral roll revision. former CM Siddaramaiah, deputy CM G Parameshwara and several ministers and Congress leaders attended the meeting.