Karnataka: Kumaraswamy seeks fresh SIR, alleges govt interference
Addressing a press conference at the JD(S) state headquarters, Kumaraswamy alleged that large-scale irregularities were taking place in Ramanagara and several other districts and that the deputy commissioners were acting on the orders of the state government.
“I will personally approach the Election Commission of India and file a complaint. The Prime Minister is the chief architect behind the entire SIR malpractice,” he alleged.
The Union minister submitted the video footage, claiming it showed irregularities in the SIR implementation in Bengaluru’s Yeshwanthpur assembly constituency. He alleged that the officials carried out the revision using booklets provided by the local MLA and acted under political pressure.
Kumaraswamy alleged that the authorities did not carry out the mandatory door-to-door verification prescribed by the ECI and instead revised the voter lists to suit the political interests of the ruling Congress.
He demanded that the revision carried out since June 30 should be cancelled, new electoral rolls should be prepared and action should be taken against the deputy commissioners of Ramanagara and Bengaluru Urban districts.
The JD(S) leader also alleged that Congress workers and officials acted in collusion to manipulate the exercise. He alleged that party workers caught an official violating the prescribed procedure in Yeshwanthpur and later claimed that another official asked them not to record videos of the exercise. Referring to a video released earlier, Kumaraswamy claimed that the SIR exercise was conducted at a community hall in Ramanagara instead of door-to-door verification. He also claimed that similar irregularities were reported from Kunigal, Pavagada, Arkalgud and Indi assembly constituencies.
Kumaraswamy accused the Chief Minister of remaining silent on the alleged manipulation of voter rolls and said the government was trying to undermine the election process.
“Our party will file a formal complaint with the Election Commission with evidence regarding these violations,” he said.
The Union minister said he would personally meet the Election Commission and seek the appointment of independent officers from outside the state to oversee the revision process. He also called for the dismissal of local officials currently overseeing the exercise.
“Unless independent officers are brought in, the government will continue to misuse the SIR process for political purposes,” Kumaraswamy said. he said.
