Form 7 row: Cops get warrant to search BJP leader’s office in voter roll case

The Karnataka police have obtained a court search warrant to search the office premises of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator and the party’s booth level agent (BLA) Motkar Srinivas submitting representations to remove over 7,500 people from the electoral roll in Ballari, a police officer said on Monday.

A first information report (FIR) was earlier registered against Motkar Srinivas on a complaint filed by a Congress BLA Gautham.

“The case relates to a representation Srinivas submitted to election officials on September 21 seeking action against 7,561 voters in the Ballari City assembly constituency. He cited reasons such as voters having shifted residence, being registered elsewhere or being absent,” said the officer.

Srinivas’s office on Talur Road would be searched following the search warrant to inspect records and materials linked to filing of the forms, the officer added.

According to the police, Srinivas submitted a representation for removal of the 7,561 voters on grounds that they were absent, relocated, or registered elsewhere. When election authorities rejected his request due to a lack of supporting evidence, Srinivas returned the following day demanding a re-verification.

Gautham subsequently approached the police, alleging that Srinivas attempted to illegally disenfranchise eligible voters from the electoral rolls.

The police move follows state home minister Priyank Kharge ordering the police to act against people who were submitting bulk submission of Form 7 for deletion of voters.

“If you misuse Form 7, possess pre-printed forms in bulk, or falsely declare living residents as dead or non-residents, you will face consequences,” Kharge said, questioning how political workers were acquiring pre-printed forms with voter data.

The BJP has criticised the police action, calling for a protest in Ballari and threatening a statewide agitation if cases against its workers continue. “No legal action should be taken against our workers. If harassment continues, we will launch a statewide agitation,” said former chief minister BS Yediyurappa.

Leader of the Opposition in the assembly R. Ashoka said submitting Form 7 was not a crime. “It is the Election Commission, not the police, that must determine the validity of a voter,” he said.

To be sure, Karnataka chief electoral officer V Anbukkumar on October 1 ordered poll officials to initiate legal proceedings against people who knowingly submit false claims or objections regarding changes to electoral rolls. “It has come to notice...that there are instances of filing of bulk applications in Form 7 before the EROs. It is also alleged that such forms are not genuine,” the order said.

The CEO directed EROs to take action against applicants who knowingly make false statements or declarations in Forms 6, 6A, 7 and 8 under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. Such action, the circular said, must follow an inquiry under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.

The circular does not link the alleged bulk applications to any political party. It instead instructs election officials to establish through inquiry whether claims or objections were knowingly false before taking legal action.