Allegations of bulk and allegedly unauthorised applications seeking deletion of voters’ names from electoral rolls have intensified in Karnataka, with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in Belagavi reporting that they received large batches of pre-filled Form-7 applications, many targeting Muslim voters.
The controversy comes as Karnataka conducts a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of its electoral rolls.
Form 7 is the Election Commission’s prescribed form for seeking deletion of an existing entry from the electoral roll.
In Belagavi North, two men claiming to represent the Belagavi City Corporation reportedly brought large numbers of pre-filled Form-7 applications to several polling stations, according to a report by The Hindu published on Thursday.
The forms contained details of voters whose names were sought to be deleted, while the details of the people listed as objectors were handwritten or left blank, the newspaper reported.
BLOs told The Hindu that the men pressed them to sign the forms quickly. Some officials said they signed under pressure, while others refused or tried to contact their supervisors and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers.
The controversy deepened after BLOs received a telephone call from someone claiming to be the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) and instructing them to sign the forms. The officer later said his name had been used without authorisation and that he had issued no such instruction, according to the report.
Questions have also been raised over the identities of people listed as objectors.
Congress worker Amaan Sait told The Hindu that some people whose names and phone numbers appeared on the applications were contacted and said they had not submitted requests seeking deletion of voters’ names.
In one case, several applications carried the name of Shashikant Jadhav. He reportedly confirmed that his electoral details and phone number were correctly mentioned but denied filling out the applications.
The Belagavi administration has said that no voter was deleted on the basis of the disputed objections at the polling station where the controversy surfaced. Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Roshan said complaints had been received from political representatives and that the matter would be investigated and action taken if violations were established.
Police have since registered an FIR against BJP functionary Dr Ravi Patil and others over an alleged attempt to delete the names of 198 voters from the electoral rolls. The allegations are under investigation.
Bhalki applications
The controversy has also spread to Bhalki Assembly constituency in Bidar district, where large numbers of Form-7 applications have been reported.
According to a statutory Form-10 report cited by The Hindu, 1,131 Form-7 applications were received between September 24 and September 29, after the September 23 deadline for claims and objections. Of these, 1,123 were classified as bulk filings.
Applications submitted after the claims-and-objections period are reportedly to be considered only after publication of the final electoral rolls, scheduled for October 27.
Earlier reports have also highlighted a concentration of Form-7 objections in Bhalki. The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) said that of 384 objections filed on September 22, 346 came from 10 individuals and 341 of those targeted Muslim voters, according to Bangalore Mirror. The organisation has called for verification before any deletion is made.
Political dispute
The issue has triggered a wider political dispute between the Congress and BJP over the SIR exercise.
Karnataka Congress president B.K. Hariprasad alleged on September 24 that BJP MLA Abhay Patil had sought deletion of around 2,500 voters from Belagavi’s electoral rolls, saying they belonged to the minority community. Hariprasad called for an Election Commission inquiry.
Patil rejected the allegation, saying his letter sought verification of suspected voters rather than their automatic deletion. He said names should be removed only after verification established that the entries were bogus.
The issue has also drawn the attention of Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who has sought constituency-wise information on Form-7 objections, including bulk applications and those lacking required details or reasons.
Shivakumar has expressed concern that mass objections could disproportionately affect minority communities, Dalits, tribals and other disadvantaged groups.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Rizwan Arshad has said he would submit a memorandum to the state’s Chief Electoral Officer seeking greater scrutiny of bulk Form-7 applications and safeguards to prevent the deletion of genuine voters.
Actor and activist Prakash Raj has separately raised allegations about Form-7 applications during his 10-day SIR Resistance Tour in Karnataka.
Speaking in Hosapete, Raj claimed that attempts were being made to remove the names of around 21,000 Muslim voters across the state. He cited the Belagavi episode and alleged that voter details had been pre-printed while details of supposed objectors were handwritten.
Raj also alleged that the applications were linked to a local BJP leader and activist. Those allegations have not been independently established.
The BJP leaders named in connection with the allegations have denied seeking indiscriminate deletion of voters, while the Belagavi administration has said complaints will be investigated.
The controversy has put the focus on how Form-7 objections are being filed and verified during the SIR exercise, particularly in cases involving large numbers of voters.
The key questions are whether the people named as objectors authorised the applications, whether the objections meet the prescribed requirements, whether the voters concerned were properly verified and whether any names were removed without following due process.
The final electoral rolls are scheduled to be published on October 27, with the handling of disputed and late Form-7 applications likely to remain under scrutiny until then.
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