BENGALURU: Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to scrap the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise conducted so far in the state in view of the alleged irregularities. Addressing reporters here, Kumaraswamy said he will take up the matter with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi on Monday.
Kumaraswamy is also likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah to seek the Centre’s intervention in the matter as most Union ministers from the state have raised objections to the manner in which SIR is being conducted in the state. He may also urge the ECI to appoint officers from outside Karnataka to ensure transparency in the SIR exercise.
Kumaraswamy, his wife Anitha Kumaraswamy, their son Nikhil and daughter-in-law Revaathy filled the enumeration forms at their farmhouse at Ketaganahalli near Bidadi.
“I am going to Delhi on Monday. I will meet the Chief Election Commissioner and bring the irregularities in the SIR exercise in the state to his notice. I will request him to stop SIR in the state immediately and conduct a fresh exercise later,” he said. He urged the ECI to appoint an officer from outside Karnataka as in-charge of SIR in the state. “The Congress government is misusing its administrative machinery to include ineligible people in the voters’ list. We have also filed a complaint with the Karnataka State Election Commission (KSEC),” Kumaraswamy said.
The Congress government has not responded to the allegations of irregularities in the SIR exercise. “Where has the KPCC president (BK Hariprasad) disappeared? Why is the Home Minister (Priyank Kharge) silent on this issue?” he said.
Presenting a video clip of the alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise in Yeshwanthpur Assembly constituency in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy said local MLA ST Somashekar was behind them.
“The Congress government treats officials like its servants. Officers are intimidated and coerced to conduct the SIR exercise to suit the ruling party. Stringent action should be taken against the deputy commissioners of Ramanagara and Bengaluru Urban districts for the irregularities in the SIR exercise,” Kumaraswamy said.
