BENGALURU: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Monday accused the Karnataka police of interfering in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. They demanded that the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka direct the police to stop the registration of FIRs against those raising objections. They are likely to approach Lok Bhavan on Tuesday to highlight the interference by the Congress and the police in the SIR process.
Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy told the media on Monday that they have given the CEO a day’s time to issue directions to the police not to file FIRs against people who complain about the deletion of names from the voters’ list.
Kumaraswamy said CEO V Anbukkumar has also been requested to issue directions to the election officials, including EROs, AEROs and DEOs, to safeguard the interest of individuals filing Form-7. He, along with Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka, LoP in Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and former CM and MP Basavaraj Bommai, met the CEO on Monday and submitted a memorandum.
Kumaraswamy said the Congress leaders, including Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, violated the law by staging a protest at the CEO’s office and demanded that an FIR be registered against them.
Ashoka said if the CEO is unable to issue such directions, an appeal will again be made to him. He said, “The Congress’ accusation that the names of people belonging to minority, SC/ST, Dalit and other communities were being deleted is a false narrative.
The election commission is not looking at names while deleting. Muslims are safe in India. We will not stage any protest. We will only make an appeal to the CEO to act according to the law and safeguard the interest of all electors.”
Bommai said that during their interaction with the CEO, they sought an explanation of the method of deletion and details of how many names were deleted. He said the CEO informed them that so far no names have been deleted, and no complaints were filed. Bommai urged the CEO to make this information clear to the people of the state. He said there are Supreme Court orders relating to the process of inclusion and deletion of names, which is being followed.
SOWMYA REDDY ALLEGES POLL ROLL FLAWS IN JAYANAGAR
Bengaluru: Former Jayanagar MLA and Karnataka Pradesh Mahila Congress president Sowmya Reddy on Monday filed a petition with the Jayanagar police, alleging irregularities in the electoral rolls of Jayanagar constituency during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. In her petition, she alleged that more than 4,327 voters had been removed from the electoral rolls in Ward 171 (Gurappanapalya) alone, while 5,698 Form 7 deletion applications had been filed across the constituency.
Reddy alleged that the deletions were carried out at the request of one Lokesh, who works for BJP leader CK Ramamurthy. She also stated that she has photographs and videos related to the alleged irregularities and would produce them before the authorities. Jayanagar police said they would consult senior officials before registering an FIR.
PRIYANK DEFENDS CASES AGAINST THOSE FILING FORM 7 IN BULK
Bengaluru: Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday defended police action against those submitting Form 7, seeking deletion of names from electoral rolls. Responding to a question on FIRs being registered against BJP workers in the state, he said these are individual cases, and have to be taken up.
“If they are misusing Form 7, should we give them Bharat Ratna? If they have bulk pre-printed Form 7s, and are proclaiming people who are alive as dead, should we felicitate them? How come all bulk pre-printed forms come from BJP people? If you are not following the law of land, we will teach you how to do so,” the minister said.
Kharge said they are flouting the law and expect cases should not be registered against them. “This is not Gujarat, Delhi or UP. This is Karnataka. Flout the Constitution, you will face the music,” he said. Terming it a criminal conspiracy, he said submitting “misinformation or submitting false Form 7” is a criminal offence with a one-year jail term and fine.