Published Feb 19, 2026 | 2:48 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 19, 2026 | 2:48 PM
DK Shivakumar
Synopsis: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar issued a representation to the State Election Commissioner detailing complaints across multiple wards and polling stations in the Greater Bengaluru area. The letter also raised complaints about the splitting of families across polling stations and wards, and duplicate entries of voters.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar issued a representation to the State Election Commissioner (SEC) detailing complaints about the draft voter list across multiple wards and polling stations in the Greater Bengaluru area.
The representation, dated Wednesday, 18 February, listed alleged discrepancies “regarding large-scale systematic and alarming discrepancies which seriously undermine the credibility of the electoral process.”
A delegation of ministers and MLAs led by Shivakumar met SEC GS Sangreshi on Tuesday in Bengaluru and submitted a request to rectify loopholes in the draft electoral roll in the wake of the upcoming Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and gram panchayat elections.
Shivakumar said there was an arbitrary deletion of long-residing voters. “Many voters who have been residing and voting at the same address for decades have been deleted without notice or verification. In some cases where a spouse remains while the other is deleted,” the letter stated.
Certain streets have allegedly been completely omitted from the voter list. The letter provided examples of how voters of 12th Cross, Part 13, Ward 110 and voters of 6th Cross, Anjaneya Temple Road, Ittamadu, Padmanabhanagar constituency have been excluded from the electoral rolls.
In Ward 110, Part 8, Serial No. 664, the Aadhaar card image itself has been used instead of a voter’s photograph, “which is a gross violation of electoral roll norms and carelessness,” the letter pointed out.
Entire families belonging to Ward 110 have been wrongly shifted to Ward 109, even though their addresses clearly remain within Ward 110, it is further alleged.
The letter also raised complaints about the splitting of families across polling stations and wards, and duplicate entries of voters.
“We have found a lot of discrepancies in the earlier list. Now, we can see that, in the draft list which has been published, some BLOs (Booth Level Officers) have caused mischief. In one house, suppose there are five votes, two votes are in one booth, and two votes are in another booth. Some of the votes themselves have been divided, families have been divided,” Shivakumar told reporters on Tuesday.
He pointed out that every political party must appoint BLAs (Booth Level Agents) who must accompany the BLOs to verify the details of voters.
“Let there be a free and fair election, free and fair voter list. That is what the Karnataka government wants,” he said.
Shivakumar urged the Commissioner to order an immediate special inquiry and to take strict action on the people responsible for the errors, along with a rectification drive to ensure that no eligible voter is denied their constitutional right to vote.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Anisha Reddy.)
