AMN / BENGALURU
Escalating the political friction surrounding the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has leveled explosive allegations against the opposition, claiming a widespread conspiracy to disenfranchise thousands of legitimate voters.
Addressing the media, the Chief Minister asserted that the plot spans over 70% of polling booths across the state. According to the CM:
- Pre-Printed Forms:Various agencies have supplied pre-printed Form 7 applications to BJP leaders and allied parties to systematically delete eligible voters.
- Targeted Data: These forms contain sensitive details—including names, EPIC numbers, and booth particulars—of existing voters whose entries are already verified on electoral rolls.
- The Scale:The ruling camp alleges that the ongoing process aims to illegitimately purge massive blocks of voters, adding fuel to the already boiling political controversy targeting the Election Commission’s handling of electoral roll modifications.
Following the revelations, Shivakumar and several cabinet ministers staged a sit-in protest at the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office, demanding an immediate criminal investigation and strict accountability.