Karnataka SIR: More than 23,700 Form-7 applications received after claims and objections period
Karnataka electoral authorities reported a significant influx of Form-7 applications for voter deletion even after the official deadline. The issue follows political protests regarding the alleged targeting of specific voter groups through bulk filings.
Why it matters
The integrity of electoral rolls is a fundamental concern for democratic processes, and this report highlights ongoing tensions regarding voter registration transparency.
Even after the claims and objections period got over, at least 23,770 Form-7 applications seeking deletion of names from electoral rolls were received between September 24, a day after the claims and objections period ended, and October 1, data from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, show.
This new revelation comes a day after Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his Cabinet colleagues staged an over-five-hour protest at the Karnataka CEO’s office and made the CEO relent, ordering legal action over false claims in bulk Form-7 applications filed across the State. In Bhalki, Babaleshwar, Belagavi North, Kodagu and several other constituencies, pre-filled Form-7 applications were filed in bulk, mostly targeting Muslim voters.
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