NDA Delegation Submits Complaint to State Chief Electoral Officer.
Congress Desperate to Protect Its Illegal Vote Bank, Alleges Kumaraswamy.
Bengaluru: Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, on Monday, levelled serious allegations against the Karnataka Congress Government, accusing it of attempting to undermine the very purpose of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State.
The Union Minister was speaking to reporters in Bengaluru after an NDA delegation met the State Chief Electoral Officer and submitted a formal complaint over alleged irregularities in the SIR process.
“The State Government has completely disregarded the SIR guidelines laid down by the Election Commission of India. It is misusing the entire administrative machinery and indulging in irregularities to protect illegal votes and gain an electoral advantage,” Kumaraswamy alleged.
He accused the State Government of gathering people in large numbers at marriage halls, convention centres, mosques, community halls and other venues and carrying out the electoral roll revision process according to its own convenience.
“People are being gathered in groups at places chosen by the government and the electoral rolls are being revised in a manner that suits its interests. Deputy Commissioners in certain districts and officials deployed for the revision process have succumbed to government pressure and are complicit in these irregularities,” the Minister charged.
Kumaraswamy said the alleged irregularities had been widely reported by the media across Karnataka.
“The media in the State have continuously reported these developments. Television channels have broadcast video footage showing how the SIR exercise has been turned into a spectacle. These visuals have also circulated widely on social media,” he said.
Expressing concern over the Congress party’s conduct, Kumaraswamy said, “India is the world’s largest and one of its oldest democracies. The manner in which the Congress is conducting itself is deeply disappointing. Holding a copy of the Constitution in one hand while facilitating irregularities in the electoral roll revision process with the other does not bode well for the Congress.”
“When SIR exercises were conducted in other States, the Congress carried out a false propaganda campaign alleging irregularities. What is the Congress doing in Karnataka today? Simply because it is in power, it is misusing the administrative machinery and desperately trying to protect its vote bank of illegal voters,” Kumaraswamy directly alleged.
The Union Minister said the delegation had urged the Election Commission of India to scrap the entire SIR exercise conducted so far in Karnataka and appoint a competent officer from outside the State to oversee a fresh revision process.
“We have requested that the entire SIR exercise carried out so far in Karnataka be scrapped and that a competent officer from outside the State be appointed to oversee the process. We will also meet the Chief Election Commissioner in New Delhi and bring these serious concerns to his attention,” Kumaraswamy said.
“The alleged irregularities taking place in Karnataka’s SIR process with the backing of the State Government are now being discussed across the country. Therefore, leaders of the JDS and BJP have jointly submitted this complaint,” he added.
Kumaraswamy said the NDA delegation included Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Shobha Karandlaje; former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda; Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashoka; Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy; former Deputy Chief Minister Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan; Members of Parliament M. Mallesh Babu and Govind Karjol; MLA Arvind Bellad; Members of the Legislative Council S.L. Bhoje Gowda and C.T. Ravi; JDS Core Committee Chairman M. Krishnareddy; former Member of the Legislative Council K.A. Thippeswamy; and several other senior leaders were present.