Bengaluru: Multiple FIRs have been registered in Karnataka following allegations that Form-7 applications were misused during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to seek deletion of voters’ names. Cases have been reported in Belagavi, Bidar and Mysuru, with complaints alleging that Muslim voters were among those targeted.
The issue has triggered a political dispute in the State, with the Congress alleging attempts to remove eligible voters from electoral rolls and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) facing allegations in some of the complaints. The Election Commission has also sought reports from district authorities and indicated that legal action would follow if violations are established.
FIR against BJP leader in Belagavi
One of the latest cases was registered at the Belagavi Market police station on September 30 against BJP leader Ravi Patil and others. The complaint was filed by Meerasab Sanadi, who was working as a Booth Level Agent in Ward 12 of the Belagavi North Assembly constituency.
According to the FIR, Sanadi alleged that Patil, Shankar Beerappa Naik, Pashant Deepak Mundinmani and around 20–25 others gathered on September 22 while the SIR exercise was under way.
The complainant alleged that the group attempted to submit Form-7 applications seeking deletion of the names of 198 voters. He further alleged that the applications contained forged documents and that the names included those of him and his family members.
The complaint alleged that the voters were predominantly from the Muslim community and that pressure was put on election officials to process the applications. It also alleged that a person claiming to be the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) spoke over the phone during the episode.
Police registered the case under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections relating to cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy, common intention and public mischief. Further investigation is under way.
The registration of an FIR records allegations and begins the investigation; it does not by itself establish the guilt of the persons named in the case.
Bidar case involves 3,244 voter names
A separate case has been registered in Bidar following a complaint by Mohammed Ateeq Ahmed, a 40-year-old businessman and voter from Bhalki.
According to the complaint, 3,244 voters, including Ahmed, were allegedly shown as “shifted/absent” through Form-7 applications during the SIR process.
The complainant alleged that the applications were submitted without obtaining authenticated documents from the affected voters and that signatures were forged with the intention of removing their names from the electoral roll.
Police registered an FIR on October 1, naming 32 people in connection with the alleged irregularities. The allegations are subject to investigation.
The Bidar case has added to concerns raised by political parties and voter representatives about the handling of bulk objections during the electoral-roll revision exercise.
Mysuru complaint names BJP functionaries
In Mysuru, social worker Syed Hasarath Ulla approached the police alleging that Form-7 applications had been submitted against him and members of his family.
According to the complaint, the applications allegedly stated that Ulla and his family members were not residing at their registered address, despite their continued residence there.
Ulla also alleged that similar applications containing false information had been submitted against 28 other voters.
Following the complaint, a case was registered at Narasimharaja police station against Harish Kumar C, Raghavendra M and Anil Thomas, identified in reports as BJP functionaries, along with others.
The complaint alleges that the accused conspired to have the names of Ulla, his family members and other members of the Muslim community removed from the electoral roll. Police are investigating the allegations.
What is Form-7?
Form-7 is an Election Commission-prescribed form used to raise an objection to the inclusion of a name in the electoral roll or seek deletion of an existing entry.
Deletion can arise in circumstances such as a voter being deceased, permanently shifted or otherwise not eligible to remain at a particular address. The form is therefore part of the normal electoral-roll revision process.
The controversy in Karnataka concerns allegations that bulk Form-7 applications were submitted using false information or forged documents and that some applications were directed at groups of voters.
An earlier incident in Belagavi had also triggered allegations that around 200 Form-7 applications were being submitted against voters. At the time, Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Roshan said no voter had been deleted on the basis of those objections and that complaints from different political parties would be examined.
SIR process becomes a political flashpoint
The FIRs have emerged amid a wider political dispute over the SIR exercise in Karnataka.
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, along with Cabinet colleagues and legislators, staged a protest outside the office of Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbukkumar on October 1. The delegation sought action over what it described as fraudulent bulk submissions of Form-7 applications.
The Congress has alleged that eligible voters were being targeted through such applications. Shivakumar has also alleged that the issue extends across several constituencies and demanded a time-bound investigation. These are political allegations and have not been established as facts.
The Election Commission, meanwhile, has sought reports from district authorities concerning the complaints. Reports indicate that the electoral authorities have said legal proceedings would be initiated against those found responsible for improper bulk filing of Form-7 applications.
No confirmed deletion in the Belagavi incident
The distinction between an application seeking deletion and an actual deletion from the electoral roll is significant.
In the earlier Belagavi incident, officials said the disputed applications had not resulted in the deletion of voters’ names. The applications were instead subject to verification and inquiry.
Similarly, the current FIRs concern allegations of attempts to manipulate the electoral-roll process. Investigators will have to establish whether documents were forged, whether applications were submitted without the knowledge of the affected voters and whether any electoral-roll entries were actually removed unlawfully.
The complaints from Belagavi, Bidar and Mysuru therefore remain matters under investigation.
Electoral authorities to examine complaints
The controversy has placed attention on the safeguards used during the SIR process. Bulk objections and deletion requests require scrutiny because an electoral-roll entry directly affects an individual’s ability to participate in elections.
The cases also underline the distinction between legitimate objections and fraudulent submissions. Where a voter is wrongly marked as shifted, absent or otherwise ineligible, the authorities are required to verify the information before taking action.
With FIRs now registered in multiple districts, police investigations and reports sought by election authorities are expected to determine the authenticity of the documents and applications involved.
The outcome of those investigations will establish whether the allegations of forgery, conspiracy or deliberate voter deletion are supported by evidence.
Investigation to determine responsibility
The Karnataka SIR controversy has now moved from political allegations and complaints to formal police investigations in several districts.
The Belagavi case involves an alleged attempt to seek deletion of 198 voters, while the Bidar complaint concerns 3,244 alleged “shifted/absent” entries. The Mysuru case involves allegations concerning a family and 28 other voters.
The cases do not establish that the named individuals are guilty. Police investigations, scrutiny by electoral authorities and any subsequent legal proceedings will determine the facts.
Conclusion
The FIRs registered in Belagavi, Bidar and Mysuru have intensified the debate over Karnataka’s SIR exercise and the use of Form-7 applications. While complaints allege attempts to remove voters through false information or forged documents, the allegations remain subject to investigation. Electoral authorities and police action will determine whether violations occurred and who, if anyone, was responsible.