Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has alleged that Form 7 applications were being misused to seek the deletion of voters from electoral rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Speaking in Delhi on Thursday, Shivakumar said he had records and documents relating to the alleged misuse and would hand them over to the Congress high command while seeking a detailed investigation into the matter.

Shivakumar alleged that some BJP leaders were involved in submitting applications containing voter details that had been prepared in advance. He displayed what he described as fake Form 7 applications and claimed that a large number of such forms had been printed at a BJP office. He questioned how ordinary villagers could have prepared applications containing detailed information about other voters without access to such data.

The Chief Minister further alleged that the applications were being used to target voters belonging to minority, Dalit and backward communities. He claimed that attempts had been made to submit forms in large numbers and alleged that more than a lakh voters could have been targeted. These claims remain allegations, while authorities are examining complaints concerning bulk submissions and suspected false information.

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The controversy has intensified amid complaints from across Karnataka about the use of Form 7 during the SIR exercise. The form allows an objection to be raised against the inclusion of a person's name in the electoral roll or a request to delete a name on specified grounds. The Election Commission's rules require electoral officials to examine such objections before deciding whether a name should be removed.

Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbukumar has clarified that no voter had been deleted solely on the basis of a Form 7 application without due process. He said the concerned voter must receive a notice, followed by an inquiry and verification by the Electoral Registration Officer before any decision is taken. Authorities have also indicated that legal action can be pursued if false applications or claims are established.

The dispute has become part of the wider political confrontation over Karnataka's electoral roll revision. Shivakumar has maintained that his government will protect the voting rights of eligible citizens and has demanded investigation into the alleged misuse of voter data and Form 7 applications. With complaints and police cases being examined in different parts of the state, the issue is likely to remain under scrutiny as the SIR process continues.

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