In a shocking development just three days ahead of Karnataka polls, close to 10,000 voter ID cards were seized in a north Bengaluru apartment on Tuesday evening, the Karnataka State Election Commission announced.
"The flat ( Flat no 115 SLV Parkview Apt, Jalahalli) belongs to one Ms Manjula Nanjamuri and was rented out to one Sri Rakesh. EPIC cards were kept neatly in small bundles wrapped in paper with some names and phones on paper. It is alleged that some more cards were there which are allegedly taken away by some of the occupants,” Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar said in a late night presser.
“On preliminary verification, these 9,476 EPIC cards are of actual electors and appears to be prima facie genuine. However the significance of the counterfoils can only be verified after due investigation,” the CEO said.
In addition to this, the EC in a statement said, "There were five laptops and one printer found in the house. There were two large steel trunks with counterfoils strips resembling acknowledgment slips of form 6 used for new addition of names onto the electoral rolls. These may be numbering around a lakh. There is need for further verification and enquiry. These have photographs and a printed number in magenta colour which is different than the officially available Form 6 which has no printed number.
FIR is being registered and further investigations will be conducted. The situation is being closely monitored by the ECI and appropriate action will be taken, the CEO assured.
Representatives of both JD(S) and BJP have reported the incident to the EC, the CEO said.
“Investigation is going on. Three observers are there on the spot,” he added.
Following the EC press meet, the Congress in a press meet called the development a "BJP conspiracy.".
"EC has said that the apartment belongs to Manjula Nanjamari. She is a BJP leader & ex-BJP Corporator. She has rented the flat to her son Rakesh, also a BJP leader," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.
He added, ""BJP enacted this drama in an apartment belonging to their own leader, Manjula Nanjamari. She has rented the apartment to her son who contested the 2015 BBMP Elections on a BJP ticket. Apartment was not raided by police or EC but by BJP workers."
"This is a BJP conspiracy & we have exposed it. High level enquiry should be ordered by EC against all those indulging in this conspiracy to get the election countermanded by planting fake evidence. Lodge an FIR against all these top bjp leaders": @rssurjewala#BJPDramaExposed
— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018
"BJP enacted this drama in an apartment belonging to their own leader, Manjula Nanjamari. She has rented the apartment to her son who contested the 2015 BBMP Elections on a BJP ticket. Apartment was not raided by police or EC but by BJP workers": @rssurjewala #BJPDramaExposed pic.twitter.com/EAQ9hoxPmE
— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018
"In RR Nagar constituency, in Apartment Number 115, 9746 Voter IDs were recovered.
— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018
EC has said that the apartment belongs to Manjula Nanjamari. She is a BJP leader & ex-BJP Corporator. She has rented the flat to her son Rakesh, also a BJP leader": @rssurjewala#BJPDramaExposed pic.twitter.com/nVt4XEc4Cp
Hours earlier the BJP on Twitter had alleged that, “Close to 20,000 fake Voters ID card recovered from @INCIndia's Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency candidate Muniratna.”
The tweet added, “Anti democratic means of Congress to win loosing elections is nothing new. They are in practice right from Indira Gandhi's period!”
Close to 20,000 fake Voters ID card recovered from @INCIndia's Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency candidate Muniratna.
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) May 8, 2018
Anti democratic means of Congress to win loosing elections is nothing new. They are in practice right from Indira Gandhi's period! pic.twitter.com/RkgEmPXdIu
Former CM and union minister Sadananda Gowda has called for suspension of polling in the seat.