BENGALURU: Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R Ashoka alleged that the state government is creating hurdles for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and in some laces non-officials, including Congress leaders, have been appointed as Booth Level Officers (BLO). The SIR of electoral rolls started in Karnataka on Tuesday.
Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru, the LoP said that, as per the rules, only government officials can be appointed as the BLOs, but persons who are not government employees and Congress leaders have been appointed as BLOs in around 20 places in Jayanagar in Bengaluru.
He also accused the Congress government of not deploying an adequate number of BLOs for the work. Instead of the required 30 BLOs, only 10 or 11 BLOs were seen working in assembly segments in the state capital, he said, adding that the state government seems to be trying to create hurdles at the beginning of the process.
The state government is not interested in removing the names of dead voters and illegal immigrants from Bangladesh from the electoral rolls, he said and added that the purpose of SIR is to ensure that only genuine voters remain in the electoral rolls. The BJP leader said that in Chamarajpet, the BLOs during their door-to-door visits were displaying the photograph of Congress MLA Zameer Ahmed Khan.
The BJP leader said Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has released more grants only to areas with Congress MLAs. While Congress MLAs’ constituencies receive Rs 100 crore, BJP MLAs’ areas get only Rs 40 to 50 lakh, he said and added that there are more BJP MLAs in Bengaluru and the discrimination must be ended immediately.
He said the BJP is making preparations for the Greater Bengaluru Elections though it is not clear whether the Congress government will conduct the elections or not.
The BJP is making preparations with the aim of winning all five city corporations in Bengaluru, and a committee is being formed to highlight the injustice done to Bengaluru by Congress in the last three years, including potholed roads and tax hikes. A committee is also being formed to draft the manifesto, he said.
Reacting to the BJP leader’s allegations of Congress leaders being appointed as BLOs, Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, V Anbukkumar said he was not aware of these issues and the District Election Officer (DEO), in this case, Greater Bengaluru Authority, Chief Commissioner, Maheshwar Rao, should look into it.
However, despite repeated attempts, Rao was not available for comment.