Published Oct 01, 2026 | 6:03 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 01, 2026 | 6:03 PM
KPCC President BK Hariprasad, Ministers Priyank Kharge, SS Mallikarjun, Eshwar Khandre and MB Patil, and others joined the sit-in at the CEO’s office.
Synopsis: Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday led a sit-in at the State Election Commission office in Bengaluru over the alleged bulk filing of Form 7 applications to delete voters during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. He submitted a representation seeking an FIR and a time-bound investigation, alleging that pre-printed forms were being used to target voters from minority communities. Shivakumar also sought scrutiny of large numbers of applications filed in several constituencies, the source and use of voters’ electoral and EPIC details, and the involvement of individuals reported to be BJP or JD(S) workers.
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday, 1 October, led a sit-in at the State Election Commission office in Bengaluru and submitted a representation to Chief Electoral Officer Anbukumar, seeking an FIR and a time-bound investigation into the alleged bulk filing of Form 7 applications to delete voters from the electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
Shivakumar alleged that pre-printed Form 7 applications were being used to target eligible voters, particularly from minority, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class communities and sought investigation into the source and use of voters’ electoral and EPIC details.
KPCC President BK Hariprasad, Ministers Priyank Kharge, SS Mallikarjun, Eshwar Khandre and MB Patil, BDA Chairman NA Harris, former Legislative Council chairman VR Sudarshan and others joined Shivakumar and demanded immediate action.
Shivakumar said a substantial proportion of the voters proposed for deletion belonged to minority communities.
Earlier in the day, Minister Rizwan Arshad submitted a petition to the CEO seeking action over the alleged bulk filing of Form 7 applications for deletion of voters during the SIR exercise.
Speaking to reporters outside the CEO’s office, Arshad said the Election Commission was permitting large numbers of Form 7 objections.
Shivakumar later told reporters that a “fraud” was being perpetrated on the nation in the name of the SIR.
He said that a “big conspiracy is going on in all booths in Karnataka” and that “in 70% of the constituencies, BJP leaders have been taking the printed forms without any identification”.
“Form 7 was being submitted in bulk to target voters, particularly those belonging to minority, backward-class, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities,” he said.
Form 7 is used to object to the proposed inclusion of a person’s name in an electoral roll or seek deletion of a name already on the roll. It can also be used by a voter to request deletion of their own name if they have permanently shifted, are already enrolled elsewhere or are not an Indian citizen.
In his written representation to the CEO, Shivakumar said a large number of Form 7 objections seeking deletion of names had been filed in bulk, particularly during the last few days of the claims and objections period, including 22, 23 and 24 September.
He cited approximately 3,000 Form 7 applications in Belagavi North, 6,259 in Mudigere, 1,373 in Babaleshwar, 1,200 in Narasimha Raj and 2,285 in Bhalki constituencies, besides similarly large numbers in other constituencies.
The Chief Minister also said there were reports of individuals filing very large numbers of Form 7 objections.
Shivakumar said a substantial proportion of the voters proposed for deletion belonged to minority communities, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. He sought verification of whether eligible voters were being selectively targeted.
He also pointed to cases in which the names, EPIC numbers and other particulars of voters proposed for deletion appeared to have been pre-printed on Form 7 applications, with the objector’s details filled in later.
“This raises a serious question as to how the electoral particulars of individual voters, including their EPIC details, came to be available for preparation of such applications,” he said in the representation.
“Since such electoral data is maintained within the Election Commission’s electoral roll system, the source, access and possible dissemination of this data require thorough examination from the perspective of data privacy and security.”
The Chief Minister also said there were reports of individuals filing very large numbers of Form 7 objections and sought independent verification of whether the applicants were BJP or JD(S) workers.
In his representation, Shivakumar also referred to public statements by Dr Ravi B. Patil, the defeated BJP candidate from Belagavi North, and Jadav of the Belagavi District Yuva Morcha.
The letter said Dr Patil had publicly acknowledged that Form 7 applications were filed in large numbers through his associates. It also said Jadav had publicly acknowledged that applications were filed in large numbers through his associates.
“The video recordings of these statements have been widely circulated across the State and are enclosed for reference and investigation,” the Chief Minister said.
Shivakumar asked the CEO to collect and examine details of the constituencies and booths concerned, the persons who submitted the applications, the number of applications involved and the reasons for their return.
He urged the CEO to take up the matter “immediately and on the highest priority”, and initiate criminal action against those responsible.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
