ECI orders probe into Form-7 fraud charge after Karnataka CM Shivakumar’s protest

Karnataka CM D.K. Shivakumar, along with Cabinet Ministers, stages a protest outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, in Bengaluru against the filing of Form-7s in bulk seeking deletion of Muslim voters from the draft voter rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR). | Photo Credit: Allen Egenuse J

The Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered a probe into the filing of Form-7s in bulk seeking deletions of names from final electoral rolls following a five-hour protest by Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar and his Cabinet colleagues.

Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka, V. Anbu Kumar, directed all Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to take action against applicants who “knowingly” make false statements or declarations while filing claims or objections in Forms 6, 6A, 7 and 8.

Mr. Shivakumar withdrew the protest after the announcement.

Earlier in the day, he alleged that “pre-filled” Form-7s were filed in bulk across the State by the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) workers, targeting Muslims, members of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes, claiming they had either “shifted” or were “absent”.