The Election Commission has ordered strict action against those allegedly filing false objections through Form 7 in an attempt to seek the deletion of voters’ names from electoral rolls in Karnataka. The directive comes amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state’s electoral rolls and follows complaints over allegedly fraudulent Form 7 submissions.

The commission has also directed authorities to verify the objections filed through the form before taking any action against voters’ names. Form 7 is used to raise objections to the inclusion of a name in the electoral roll or seek deletion from the list, making verification an important part of the process when complaints are received.

The issue gained political attention after Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar protested over what he alleged was an attempt to wrongly remove eligible voters from the electoral rolls. His concerns centred on claims that Form 7 objections were being used to target voters during the revision exercise.

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Following the complaints and the political protest, the Election Commission moved to tighten scrutiny of the objections being submitted. The commission’s direction calls for action against those found responsible for filing false objections, while also requiring verification before eligible voters are removed from the rolls.

The controversy comes as Karnataka undergoes the SIR process, during which electoral records are reviewed and objections can be raised regarding voter entries. The dispute has brought renewed attention to safeguards for eligible voters whose names could be affected by objections submitted during the exercise.

The Election Commission’s latest direction places the focus on verification and accountability in the handling of Form 7 applications. Authorities are expected to examine complaints and take action where false filings are established, while ensuring that genuine objections are dealt with through the prescribed electoral process.

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