SIR: No names deleted so far, Karnataka CEO clarifies amid charges of bulk filing of objections

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukkumar on Monday said election authorities received 58,220 objections through Form 7 during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, but no voter’s name had been deleted from the draft rolls so far merely because someone filed an objection.

The Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) will examine each objection and follow due process before taking a decision, Anbukkumar said at a media briefing. Both the voter concerned and the person who filed the objection will be given an opportunity to present their case before the objection is disposed of, he said.

The clarification comes amid a political row over the SIR exercise, with the ruling Congress alleging that the BJP was behind attempts to delete the names of OBC, SC/ST and minority voters through bulk filing of pre-printed Form 7. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has led the Congress campaign, demanding scrutiny of what the party alleges are large-scale and politically motivated Form 7 objections.


Anbukkumar also said the election authorities had not registered any FIR against anyone for filing objections through Form 7. The form is used to object to the proposed inclusion or seek deletion of a name from the electoral roll, as well as for deletion of a voter’s own name.

During the SIR exercise, booth-level agents (BLAs) can file up to 50 Form 7 objections, while individuals can file up to 10. Anbukkumar said none of the objections received so far challenged the proposed inclusion of a voter’s name.

The CEO said his office had already written to the authorities on action that could be taken against applicants found to have made false claims or objections through Form 6, Form 6A, Form 7 or Form 8.

The Congress has been pressing the Election Commission for a probe into the Form 7 filings, particularly in constituencies where the number of objections has been high. The BJP, however, has rejected allegations of orchestrating voter deletions.

As of Monday, Karnataka’s electoral rolls had 4.5 crore voters. Field officials have generated 43.82 lakh notices as part of the verification process, with 99.40% of the notices delivered, Anbukkumar said.

Hearings have been completed in 85% of the cases, while the remaining cases are pending, he said.