BENGALURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar alleged that BJP and JDS leaders were conspiring to delete names of additional 50-60 lakh voters from the electoral rolls in the state by submitting form 7 through their party workers. He said this number is other than 1.07 crore voters name deletion and 45 lakh voters getting noticies in the name of discrepancy.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, the CM called it the biggest criminal conspiracy. In every constituency thousands of form 7 has been submitted by BJP party workers and leaders targeting minorities, SC, ST and backward class voters, he said. BJP and JDS workers illegally submitted 50 to 200 applications each . The form 7 has been printed in BJP's office containing complete details of voters, including their names, addresses and EPIC numbers, the CM alleged.
The Chief Minister demanded that criminal cases be registered and an investigation ordered against those allegedly behind the conspiracy. “Although there is a Cabinet meeting today (Thursday), protecting voters' rights is our top priority,” he said, adding that he and his cabinet ministers would not leave the Election Commission office until action was taken.
The Chief Minister further alleged that the BJP and JDS, unable to win elections, were attempting to resort to irregularities through the Election Commission's SIR process. He also said this cannot be done without the knowledge of Chief Election commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar.
After the press meet, CM, his cabinet colleagues visited the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka and submitted a memorandum where he urged the CEO to investigate the matter immediately and on highest priority. He stated that an FIR be registered without delay and that appropriate criminal action be initiated against the people involved. He also said that FIRs have been lodged across many places and he submitted the same to the CEO.
