BENGALURU: With the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) directing Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to initiate legal action against those found knowingly submitting bulk and non-genuine Form-7 applications, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and his cabinet colleagues called off their dharna on the CEO office premises late Thursday.
CM Shivakumar said the Election Commission has assured action against those knowingly filing false claims or objections, following complaints over alleged bulk submission of Form-7 applications seeking deletion of voters’ names from electoral rolls.
The CEO issued a directive that Form-7 applications must be subjected to a formal inquiry before any action is taken. CEO V Anbukkumar made it clear that individuals found knowingly furnishing false information or declarations in Forms 6, 6A, 7 and 8 would face proceedings under the law.
He instructed all District Election Officers, EROs and municipal commissioners across the state’s 224 assembly constituencies to take action against fraudulent submissions.
As per the procedure prescribed under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, a formal inquiry has to be conducted before initiating action under Section 31. EROs have been directed to verify complaints and suspected fraudulent applications through due process and take appropriate legal action against those found guilty.
My bounden duty to protect votes of K’taka citizens: DKS
The CEO issued the directive after hours of deliberations with legal experts and the Central Election Commission, following the insistence of the CM and his cabinet colleagues.
“We have given the documents to the Election Commission, and the Commission itself was shocked, asking how such a thing could happen. We are fighting to protect the right to vote. There is a criminal conspiracy to delete voters’ names by submitting Form-7,” Shivakumar told reporters after coming out of the CEO’s chamber.
“We have information about attempts to delete 3,000 to 15,000 names in each constituency, including in Belagavi, Bhalki, Babaleshwar, Ballari and Mudigere. The fight will not end here... We have not taken to the streets — we are sitting in the office and pursuing the matter. The Election Commission will investigate, and we will follow up,” he asserted.
Shivakumar, Deputy CM Dr G Parameshwara and other cabinet ministers had staged a dharna demanding scrapping of SIR in Karnataka, registration of criminal cases and a probe into the alleged conspiracy to delete names of eligible voters.
The protest comes a day before the INDIA bloc’s week-long nationwide protest, beginning October 2, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The Cabinet meeting scheduled at 3pm did not take place as the CM and ministers, who went to the CEO office around 2.30pm to submit a memorandum, continued their protest till late evening.
The CM and ministers held a meeting with CEO Anbukkumar in his chamber for over two hours. Anbukkumar then held a meeting with BLOs and other officials through video conference. A team of legal advisers had also come to the CEO’s office.
Criminal conspiracy: CM
Speaking to the media, the CM alleged there was a criminal conspiracy by the BJP and CEC to delete over 50lakh voters, especially minorities, SC, ST, OBCs. He questioned how individuals submitting Form-7 applications obtained detailed voter information, including names, addresses and EPIC numbers, and how printed forms containing such particulars reached them. He sought to know who generated, printed and distributed the forms, how EPIC numbers were accessed and whether voter data from the Election Commission’s database had been copied or leaked.
Referring to Leader of Opposition R Ashoka’s statement that around 25,000 forms had been distributed, Shivakumar said the number could be verified through an investigation. “Whether it is one, 10, 25,000 or 25lakh, the investigation will take its course. Where were these forms printed? How were they printed? Who distributed them?” he asked.
“It is my bounden duty as Chief Minister to protect the votes of the citizens of the state,” he said.
The CM said the Election Commission is a constitutional body and the State government respected its authority. The CEO urged them to give two days’ time to check, which was denied. “We cannot give them time, we know what will happen in two days as big BJP leaders from Delhi are involved,’’ he said.
The CM alleged that attempts had been made to delete voters’ names in constituencies represented by ministers. Shivakumar said the State government had extended full cooperation to the EC during the SIR process, yet such a conspiracy had been carried out by the BJP and JDS.
For several hours, Shivakumar, Deputy CM Dr G Parameshwara, KJ George, KH Muniyappa, Priyank Kharge, MB Patil, Ramalinga Reddy, and several other ministers, KPCC president BK Hariprasad and other senior leaders sat on the steps of CEO’s office. Former CM Siddaramaiah arrived late in the evening and took part in the final round of deliberations in the CEO’s chamber.