BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and ministers staged a dharna on the premises of the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office in Bengaluru on Thursday, demanding registration of a criminal case and a probe into alleged conspiracy to delete names of eligible voters using Form 7 applications.
After submitting a memorandum to the CEO, the CM and ministers staged a protest on the steps of the CEO’s office. Speaking to the media persons, the CM said the agitation would continue until a criminal case was registered. The CM said the Election Commission is a constitutional body and that the state government respected its authority.
Shivakumar claimed that around 13,000 Form 7 applications had been submitted in two Assembly constituencies in Ballari and were subsequently withdrawn. He also alleged that around 13,000 applications had been submitted in Vijayapura, excluding the Babaleshwar constituency, and later withdrawn with requests that no action be taken.
The CM said they have submitted documents and videos relating to Mysuru, Belagavi and Bhalki constituencies, he said. The CM said the Election Commission had sought a report from the respective Deputy Commissioner. “If they do not trust the evidence we have submitted, let them call for the report. Our struggle will not stop until a serious investigation is ordered,” he said.
The CM alleged that attempts had been made to delete voters’ names on a large scale in the constituencies represented by ministers. Shivakumar said the state government had extended full cooperation to the Election Commission during the SIR process. Yet, such a conspiracy has been carried out by the BJP and Janata Dal, the CM alleged.
