Form-7 applications seeking the deletion of thousands of voter names during Karnataka’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise have triggered police cases in Ballari, Belagavi and Bidar, moving the dispute from political allegations into formal investigations. The complaints allege false information, forged signatures and attempts to remove voters from electoral rolls without their knowledge.
In Ballari, police registered a case against BJP Ballari City Corporation corporator and BLA-1 Srinivas Motkar, three election officials and others over 7,561 Form-7 applications linked to the Ballari City Assembly constituency. The case was registered on a complaint by Gautham S, a Congress BLA.
According to the complaint, Motkar submitted a request on September 21 seeking deletion of 7,561 names from the draft electoral roll. After that request was reportedly rejected, another application was submitted to election officials on September 22 along with the Form-7 applications. The complainant alleged that a BLA was permitted to submit a maximum of 30 Form-7 applications under the SIR guidelines, but that election officials accepted the 7,561 applications.
The complaint further alleged that around 98.08 per cent of the voters covered by the applications belonged to the minority community and claimed that the exercise was intended to remove their names from the electoral roll. The allegation has not been established in court. Assistant Commissioner Nandish, Booth-Level Officer Sumalatha and case worker Sharanabasava have also been named in the FIR.
A separate case was registered by Market police in Belagavi on September 30 against BJP leader Dr Ravi Patil and around 20 to 25 others. The complaint relates to polling booths 195 and 196 in Veerabhadranagar and alleges that false information and documents were submitted to seek deletion of 198 voters’ names from the electoral roll.
In Bidar district’s Bhalki, police registered a case against 32 persons following a complaint over applications seeking deletion of 3,244 voters’ names. The complainant, Mohammed Ateeq Ahmed of Masuma Pasha Colony, alleged that the applications described voters as having shifted or being absent even though they continued to live in the area. He also alleged that the applications were submitted without the affected voters’ knowledge and that signatures were forged.
Form-7 is used to seek deletion of a name from an electoral roll. The cases have emerged amid a wider political dispute over the use of the form during the SIR process, with the Congress raising concerns about bulk applications for voter deletions. The FIRs now place the allegations before the police and election authorities for investigation.
The complaints name individuals and officials, but registration of an FIR does not establish guilt. Further proceedings will determine whether the applications contained false information, whether signatures were forged and whether any voter names were improperly targeted. The cases in Ballari, Belagavi and Bhalki remain the next formal steps in the investigation.