BELAGAVI: Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi has put the Congress leadership in an awkward position by defending the SIR of electoral rolls in Karnataka, even as the party has strongly opposed the entire exercise. He said that the SIR process had been conducted systematically in Karnataka and that the party had no objection to the exercise in the state. He maintained that Congress had reservations about SIR in West Bengal, Maharashtra and Bihar.
“The revision was carried out properly in Karnataka. The staff were given appropriate training, ensuring that the exercise was conducted systematically,” he said. Satish said SIR was necessary to identify voters who had shifted residence or died, as well as those whose names appeared in multiple places.
His remarks assume significance as the Congress has raised serious concerns over the SIR exercise nationally, alleging that the process could lead to the exclusion of a large chunk of eligible voters. He also noted that the Congress had earlier raised objections and staged protests over the exercise, following which steps were taken to ensure that officials received proper training and carried out the revision correctly.