NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday directed election officials in Bengaluru to take action under law against applicants found to have knowingly filed false claims or objections through electoral forms during Karnataka's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
In a letter to District Election Officers, Additional District Election Officers, Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and senior civic officials in Bengaluru, the ECI specifically flagged reports of bulk applications being filed in Form 7, which is used to seek deletion of names from electoral rolls.
The Commission said, “Instances of bulk Form 7 applications had come to its notice and that allegations had been made that some of these applications were not genuine. It is directed the concerned EROs to initiate action against applicants who knowingly make false statements or declarations in writing while submitting Forms 6, 6A, 7 or 8.”
The ECI, however, made clear that any such action must be preceded by an inquiry under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
The directive comes amid controversy over large-scale Form 7 applications seeking deletion of voters' names during the SIR exercise in Karnataka. The issue has reportedly prompted Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to seek a comprehensive probe, including an examination of possible criminality.
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