Following allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Karnataka, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) for intervention. In response, Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukumar stated that the revision process is being conducted in accordance with ECI guidelines.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, Anbukumar affirmed, “We are adhering to the legal framework. We want to reassure everyone that the process will follow the directives issued by the ECI.” He addressed inquiries regarding the complaints from the opposition, noting that they are addressing any reports of irregularities in the distribution of voter forms. “Wherever we receive complaints about the distribution process, we are responding to them, and they will be reviewed in accordance with the law,” he added.
The BJP and JD(S) have submitted several grievances to the ECI. On Tuesday, they expressed significant worries about the integrity and neutrality of the voter list revision process, alleging that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) associated with a specific religion were being assigned to minority-populated areas.
In light of reports indicating that some BLOs had failed to visit homes, the ECI has issued notices to approximately 35 of these officers, as stated by Anbukumar. “They are required to conduct house-to-house visits and ensure that forms are delivered to voters,” he emphasized.
During the initial nine days of the SIR initiative, BLOs managed to distribute forms to approximately 4.48 crore of the 5.54 crore registered voters, achieving a coverage rate of 80.85 percent. However, the distribution rates were notably lower in four electoral districts within the Greater Bengaluru Authority. Specifically, in the BBMP South electoral district, only 44.18 percent of voters received enumeration forms, while the rates were 46.04 percent in Bangalore Urban, 48.25 percent in BBMP North, and 48.54 percent in BBMP Central. These four districts collectively account for about 1 crore mapped voters.
The slower rate of distribution in Bengaluru can be attributed to BLOs commencing their form distribution a day or two later than the official start date of June 30. Anbukumar noted that in urban areas like Bengaluru, varying work schedules may hinder residents’ availability during BLO visits. He assured that measures are being implemented to address these challenges and enhance the distribution of voter forms.
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