Politics over the misuse of Form 7 applications in voter-list revision in Karnataka has become more and more heated, with a BJP delegation headed by former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa visiting the Director General of Police here.
BJP delegation visited the DGP-IGP office in Bengaluru on Nrupatunga Road and submitted a complaint in the heat of a bitter political fight over voter-name removal in the recent Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The development came after Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and several ministers protested at the Chief Electoral Officer’s office on October 1, demanding an investigation into purported attempts to delete eligible voters’ names through bulk Form 7 applications.
Yediyurappa Leads BJP Delegation
The BJP delegation was led by B.S. Yediyurappa, former Karnataka Chief Minister and a member of BJP’s Central Parliamentary Committee.
BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka, and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy were among those on the delegation.
Other BJP legislators and party leaders also joined the delegation during its visit to the DGP-IGP office.
The BJP has been seeking police intervention for cases of party workers who made Form 7 applications. The party is also calling for the government’s handling of the issue.
Political dispute over Form 7 applications
Form 7 is used to object to an entry in the electoral roll or to delete a voter entry under certain circumstances. The current controversy is that the provision was misused in bulk applications during the SIR process.
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Congress leaders claimed that Form 7 applications were used in an organised attempt to remove names of eligible voters. The Chief Minister and ministers protested outside the Chief Electoral Officer's office and sought a criminal investigation.
The BJP has rejected the allegations and has defended the use of Form 7 applications as a legal procedure which is within the provisions of the election laws. BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra has also condemned the government's handling of such cases involving party workers as well.
FIRs Registered in Several Places
The controversy has already led to police cases in different parts of Karnataka. FIRs were registered after complaints of people submitting Form 7 applications to delete voters’ names, some reported.
In Belagavi, police filed a case against BJP functionary Ravi Patil and others on claims of applying for deletion of 198 voters' names. Similar complaints were also made in Bidar and Mysuru. The allegations are under investigation.
The Election Commission also instructed election officials to verify complaints of false Form 7 claims and to prosecute those who knowingly submitted false claims or objections. They have also been told to ensure true voters are not removed from the electoral rolls.
BJP Raises Complaint Before Police Chief
The BJP delegation’s visit to the DGP-IGP office is another development in the ongoing conflict between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP regarding the electoral roll revision process.
The BJP delegation’s complaint will focus on the cases involving the workers in its party and on the police actions related to Form 7 applications.
The matter now needs to be investigated by the electoral authorities and police investigations, and there are allegations and counter-allegations from both sides. The Election Commission’s verification and the outcome of the complaints will be crucial in deciding the truth of the claimed Form 7 applications.
The controversy has put Karnataka’s ongoing voter-list revision exercise in a more political and administrative light.
