Karnataka: Police file FIRs on complaints over attempts to delete minority voters

The Karnataka Police have filed five FIRs against several people, including BJP leaders and workers, over alleged attempts to submit bulk Form 7 applications seeking deletion of voters’ names from minority and other communities.

The FIRs followed complaints from Congress booth-level agents. The action came amid allegations by the Congress and Chief Minister DK Shivakumar accusing the BJP of orchestrating large-scale voter deletions targeting minorities, Dalits and other vulnerable groups.

Police filed cases in Belagavi, Mysuru and Bidar districts. Three FIRs reportedly name BJP functionaries as accused.

In Belagavi, police booked Ravi B. Patil, a former BJP candidate in the 2023 Assembly elections, along with employees of his hospital and 25 others. The case followed a complaint alleging an attempt to submit Form 7 applications seeking deletion of 198 minority voters from the electoral rolls.

In another case, Shahapur police filed an FIR against a BJP MLA over a letter submitted to election authorities seeking deletion of certain names from the voters’ list.

Police in Bhalki filed another case against 32 people for allegedly submitting Form 7 applications in bulk to seek deletion of names of voters from minority communities.

The Congress has alleged that there are targeted efforts to remove the names of minority, SC, ST and OBC voters. The BJP has rejected the allegation and challenged the government to produce evidence to support its claims.