91,278 Form 7 applications received in Karnataka, officials says no names deleted so far

Karnataka has received 91,278 Form 7 applications seeking deletion of names from electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR). However, no voter has been deleted through the process so far.

Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukkumar said on October 5 that every Form 7 application would be examined through the prescribed process, including a notice and hearing before an Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) takes a decision.

“Just because objections have been filed, no name has been deleted so far from the electoral roll,” Anbukkumar said at a press conference.

Form 7 is used to object to the proposed inclusion of a name or seek deletion of an existing entry from the electoral roll based on certain criteria. Of the 91,278 applications received between June 16 and October 4, none were objections to proposed inclusions, according to data released by the CEO’s office.

The number of Form 7 applications stood at 58,220 when the claims and objections period ended on September 23 and rose to 91,278 by October 4. Bidar recorded the highest number with 5,953 applications, followed by Shivamogga with 5,936 and Dakshina Kannada with 5,534.

Under the procedure, the ERO has to issue notice to both the person who filed the objection and the voter concerned. A hearing is then held after seven days, following which the officer verifies the documents before deciding whether the name should be deleted.

Anbukkumar said all Form 7 applications would be processed before October 22. In cases involving bulk applications, the ERO can ask the objector to withdraw applications if the number exceeds the prescribed limit of 50 forms per BLA-2 or 10 forms per voter of the constituency.

The CEO also said election officials had been directed to act against applicants who knowingly submit false claims or objections through Forms 6, 6A, 7 and 8. Such action would follow an inquiry under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules (1960), and could be taken under section 31 of the Representation of the People Act (1950).

The clarification comes amid allegations of bulk Form 7 applications being filed to seek deletion of voters during the SIR. The CEO said he had taken cognisance of the bulk applications and had written to EROs to take necessary action after inquiry.

He said no FIR had been registered by his office so far. FIRs already registered in connection with alleged misuse of Form 7 were filed by private individuals under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and are sub judice, he said.

Anbukkumar also said the Election Commission had directed Karnataka to conduct a special enrolment drive for first-time voters and those left out of the final electoral rolls. Form 6 applications for fresh inclusion submitted after the final roll is published will not require the SIR-specific declaration, he said.

The state has received 22.05 lakh applications across the four electoral forms since June 16. These include 9,10,732 Form 6 applications, 4,677 Form 6A applications, 91,278 Form 7 applications and 11,98,484 Form 8 applications.

Meanwhile, 43,82,313 notices have been generated for voters categorised under “No Mapping” and “Anomalies”. Of these, 43,55,818 have been delivered and hearings have been completed in 36,89,063 cases, or 84.69 per cent. Another 6,66,755 cases remain pending.

The CEO said voters do not have to appear personally for every hearing. Booth Level Officers can visit their homes to verify documents, while personal hearings will be held only where the ERO considers them necessary. An authorised family member can also appear on behalf of a flagged voter.

The last hearing is scheduled for October 12, while October 22 is the deadline for disposal of claims and objections. Karnataka’s final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on October 27.