NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday directed election officials in Bengaluru to take action under law against applicants found to have knowingly filed false claims or objections through electoral forms during Karnataka's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
In a letter to District Election Officers, Additional District Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and senior civic officials in Bengaluru, the ECI specifically flagged reports of bulk applications being filed in Form 7, which is used to seek deletion of names from electoral rolls.
The Commission said, “Instances of bulk Form 7 applications had come to its notice and that allegations had been made that some of these applications were not genuine. It is directed the concerned EROs to initiate action against applicants who knowingly make false statements or declarations in writing while submitting Forms 6, 6A, 7 or 8.”
The ECI, however, made clear that any such action must be preceded by an inquiry under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
The directive comes amid controversy over large-scale Form 7 applications seeking deletion of voters' names during the SIR exercise in Karnataka. The issue has reportedly prompted Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to seek a comprehensive probe, including an examination of possible criminality.
The controversy has intensified as the state's SIR enters the claims-and-objections stage. Reports have highlighted bulk deletion applications in constituencies including Bhalki and Babaleshwar, with allegations that a significant number of the targeted voters belonged to minority communities.
The Commission's latest communication places the onus on designated electoral authorities to verify the authenticity of applications and proceed against those found to have deliberately submitted false information.
The ECI's reference to Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, indicates that knowingly false declarations in electoral applications can attract statutory action, subject to the prescribed inquiry process.
