A major political row has erupted over electoral roll updates in Karnataka, with Chief Minister DK Shivakumar raising grave alarms regarding the deletion of genuine voters. Addressing citizens via a late-night video broadcast on Wednesday, Shivakumar alleged that provisions under Form 7 are being systematically exploited to erase legitimate entries from the voter registers. Urging vigilance across every neighbourhood, he appealed to political party cadres and common citizens to immediately flag any suspicious or irregular submissions found at local polling stations.
Targeting of Vulnerable Communities and Concerns Over SIR
Expressing deep worry over how the ongoing Special Intensive Revision, known as SIR, is unfolding nationwide, the Chief Minister asserted that safeguarding democratic franchise remains his fundamental governance obligation. He alleged that specific Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are orchestrating a bulk filing of Form 7 objections to purge citizens from the rolls. According to Shivakumar, this pattern distinctly targets vulnerable groups across the state, including minorities, backward communities, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes.
"A major conspiracy is underway."
Highlighting ground-level feedback, the Chief Minister noted that booth-level officers have been inundated with objection applications in large volumes. He specifically cited reports reaching him from districts and taluks including Belagavi, Balki, Mudigere, and Mysuru, besides several other regions across the state. Concurrently in New Delhi, the Congress-led INDIA alliance held a high-level conclave on Wednesday to deliberate over the SIR exercise and formalise their operational approach regarding the Chief Election Commissioner.
Official Data Demanded Ahead of Public Briefing
To thwart any illicit tampering with voter rolls, the Chief Minister called upon booth-level agents, political functionaries, and conscientious citizens to trace whether Form 7 requests have been quietly submitted in their respective assembly segments. He instructed party workers to transmit verifiable information straight to his secretariat. On the administrative front, Shivakumar disclosed that official dossiers have already been summoned from deputy commissioners, police leaders, and regional electoral authorities detailing all incoming grievances.
With a comprehensive press briefing scheduled for Thursday, Shivakumar set a strict midday deadline for collecting concrete operational inputs. Emphasising constitutional values, he reiterated that voting rights belong unconditionally to each citizen, noting that protecting voter access across all communities, faiths, and political inclinations stands as his highest duty as Chief Minister.
Civil Society Delegation Submits Independent Audit
Earlier on Wednesday, a formal delegation representing the Anti-SIR Coalition visited Shivakumar at his private residence in Bengaluru. Led by actor Prakash Raj, the group presented an independent audit review documenting potential irregularities and structural vulnerabilities in the current electoral revision drive. The visiting team included activists Noor Sridhar, Muhammad Yousuf Kanni, J.M. Veerasangaiah, K.L. Ashok, Abdul Majeed, and KS, all of whom highlighted rising grassroots concerns surrounding voting rights.
