Karnataka SIR Row: BJP warns of agitation over FIRs on Form-7 filings

The BJP on Sunday warned of statewide protests if police register FIRs against its workers over Form-7 objections filed during the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

State BJP president BY Vijayendra said the party had written to the police, urging them not to act against workers involved in filing objections. He said any issues arising from Form-7 applications should be dealt with under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and not through police action.

The warning comes after police registered FIRs against several individuals, including BJP workers, for allegedly submitting bulk Form-7 applications seeking deletion of voters' names from electoral rolls.


Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has accused the BJP of attempting to delete the names of voters belonging to OBC, Dalit and minority communities. Rejecting the charge, Vijayendra said filing objections through Form-7 was a right available under the Election Commission's electoral roll revision process and alleged that the Congress was trying to intimidate BJP workers.

He said the party would launch protests across the state if workers were harassed or cases were filed against them in connection with Form-7 objections. The BJP has demanded that all such complaints be handled strictly in accordance with electoral laws.

Questioning Shivakumar's claim that 50-60 lakh voter names were being deleted in Karnataka, Vijayendra cited Election Commission data showing about 84,900 Form-7 objections and accused the Congress of spreading a misleading narrative for political purposes.