Hyderabad BJP BLA booked over attempt to delete 30 Muslim voters using Form 7

A BJP booth-level agent, S Balachander, has been booked in Hyderabad for allegedly attempting to delete 30 Muslim voters from the electoral rolls using pre-printed Form 7 applications. The Chikkadpally police registered the case on October 6 after election officials found that all 30 voters were living at the addresses recorded in the electoral rolls.

The case was based on a complaint by T Praveen Kumar, Electoral Registration Officer of the Musheerabad Assembly constituency and Deputy Commissioner of GHMC Circle 41. Police booked Balachander under sections 217 (false information with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person) and 318(2) (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

According to the complaint, Balachander brought 30 digitally pre-printed Form 7 applications to polling station No. 210 in Surya Nagar, Chikkadpally, on September 28. The applications, which were signed by Balachander, sought deletion of the names of 30 electors from the rolls.

As TNM previously reported, some of the individuals Balachander submitted Form 7 applications against were known to him for years. 

The Booth Level Officer (BLO) and polling station supervisor refused to accept the bulk submission despite repeated requests and did not issue an acknowledgement. Balachander allegedly left the forms at the polling station and left the premises.

The BLO and supervisor subsequently conducted a field verification on September 30 and submitted their report. On October 1, the Assistant ERO and ERO joined the verification of all 30 voters.

Officials found that 14 of the electors were registered at one address and the remaining 16 at another. All 30 were found residing at the respective addresses recorded in the electoral rolls.

Based on the verification, election officials concluded that the Form 7 applications were not maintainable and were liable to be rejected.

The case comes amid a wider controversy over the misuse of Form 7 applications during special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. 

Telangana Chief Electoral Officer C Sudharshan Reddy had earlier said disputed Form 7 applications submitted in Musheerabad and Goshamahal constituencies had been rejected.

On October 5, the CEO directed election officials to initiate action against persons found to have knowingly made false declarations in electoral forms, subject to an inquiry establishing the violation.

The Congress has sought a wider investigation into the incident. TPCC Election Commission coordination committee chairperson Pulipati Rajesh Kumar described Balachander as a “scapegoat” and demanded an inquiry into those who collected voter data and printed and supplied the applications.

Rajesh Kumar alleged that the incident could point to a larger conspiracy and sought the constitution of a special investigation team to probe it, including the alleged role of senior BJP leaders.

Similar misuse of Form 7 against Muslim voters has also been reported in Karnataka. 6 cases have been registered in Karnataka over the alleged misuse of Form 7 during the SIR. Of these, three of the earlier five cases, two in Belagavi and one in Mysuru, named BJP members as accused. The Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer had recently directed election officials to initiate action against those who knowingly file false claims or objections through electoral forms.