Shivakumar seeks Form 7 data amid SIR row in Karnataka
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday, September 30, said every genuine voter’s right to vote must be protected and sought constituency-wise details of objections filed through Form 7 during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. In a statement posted on social media, Shivakumar said he had asked the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to provide details of Form 7 objections, including the number of bulk objections and those filed without specifying the prescribed reasons or providing the mandatory particulars required for seeking the deletion of voters. He expressed concern that bulk objections could be used to target voters belonging to minority communities, Dalits, tribals and other backward communities. The Chief Minister also raised concerns over objections submitted with pre-printed voter details, saying such instances raised questions about a possible systematic attempt to undermine the SIR process. Shivakumar said he had ...