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Shivakumar raises concerns over voter deletions in Karnataka (Img: IANS)
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday accused opposition leaders of misusing Form 7 to seek the deletion of eligible voters’ names, reiterating that his government and the Congress were committed to protecting every citizen’s right to vote.
Responding to reporters’ questions about the large number of names removed from the electoral roll, Shivakumar said legal provisions were available to deal with violations of the electoral process. His remarks came as the Election Commission published Karnataka’s final electoral roll following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which excluded 99.32 lakh names.
Shivakumar, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president BK Hariprasad and other senior Congress leaders had previously alleged that Form 7 applications were printed and submitted in bulk to remove voters’ names. The Congress leaders also protested outside the Chief Electoral Officer’s office on October 1, demanding the registration of FIRs over the alleged irregularities.
Also Read: Karnataka Final Voter List Out: 99.32 Lakh Names Removed, EC Reveals New Elector Count
Form 7 is used to object to an entry in the electoral roll or request the deletion of an existing entry. The Congress has raised concerns that the process could be misused to remove eligible voters.
The final electoral roll contains 4,55,00,011 voters, compared with approximately 5.54 crore before the revision. The exercise began on June 30, with Booth Level Officers conducting house-to-house verification.
The final list includes 2,29,12,355 women voters, 2,25,40,493 men and 2,841 third-gender electors. It also reflects changes made after claims, objections and further verification following the publication of the draft roll in August.
During the revision, officials examined entries involving voters recorded as absent, shifted, deceased or duplicated. More than 43.8 lakh notices were issued in cases involving discrepancies or records requiring further verification.
The Election Commission’s reported figures showed that 2,28,917 Form 7 applications had been received by the September 23 deadline. Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukkumar had maintained that voters’ names were not deleted merely on the basis of the Form 7 applications cited in the controversy.
The final roll has intensified the debate over the accuracy of electoral records and safeguards against the wrongful exclusion of eligible voters. Citizens who find their names missing can apply for inclusion through Form 6 under the prescribed procedure.
Shivakumar maintained that protecting voters’ rights remained a priority for his government and the Congress, stressing that no eligible citizen should be deprived of the opportunity to vote.
