Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has alleged a conspiracy to delete eligible voters through bulk Form 7 applications during the ongoing SIR, accusing BJP and JD(S) leaders of targeting vulnerable communities and demanding a criminal investigation into the alleged electoral irregularities
Published Date – 1 October 2026, 06:33 PM
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday alleged that there were “conspiracies” to delete a large number of voters by individuals filing multiple applications to erase names from the electoral roll under the ongoing SIR in the state.
He also called SIR a “big fraud.”
Addressing a press conference here, he accused the BJP of being involved in the alleged conspiracy to delete “minorities, Dalits and ST voters” from the electoral roll. He claimed it was impossible for “illegal” vote deletion to be happening without Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s knowledge.
“There is a big conspiracy by BJP and Janata Dal leaders,” Shivakumar said, alleging that bulk Form 7 applications were being filed to delete eligible voters and claiming that “more than 45 lakh” voters were facing discrepancies in the electoral roll.
He said pre-printed Form 7 applications containing voters’ names, addresses and EPIC numbers had allegedly been submitted in bulk in several constituencies, including Vijayapura, Bhalki, Belagavi, Mysuru, Mudigere and Bengaluru.
“In all the booths, in more than 70 per cent of the booths, we have already identified that various BJP leaders and party leaders have been taking Form 7,” he alleged.
Shivakumar claimed that individuals had submitted dozens or even hundreds of applications each, citing examples of persons who allegedly filed 84, 92, 241 and 423 forms.
He alleged that the applications were being used to target “minorities, backward classes, Dalits, Scheduled Castes and tribal voters”.
The chief minister said bulk filing of Form 7 applications took place on September 22, 23 and 24, and questioned how details such as voters’ EPIC numbers and addresses had reached those submitting the applications.
“How did this data come? Who gave this data? Who is doing this? This is a big question,” he said.
Shivakumar claimed that in Vijayapura district alone, more than 14,000 applications had been submitted in Vijayapura City, while about 1,634 applications were filed in Babaleshwar by six persons and subsequently withdrawn after officials warned of possible legal consequences.
He said about 13,000 applications were submitted in the Vijayapura City Assembly constituency over two days, alleging that the applicants included BJP workers and staff associated with the office of a BJP legislator.
“Six people submitted 1,651 applications,” he said, referring to the Babaleshwar cases, adding that the applicants had subsequently sought withdrawal of the forms.
In Bhalki, Minister Eshwar Khandre said, 3,244 Form 7 applications were submitted on a single day by 36 persons, whom he identified as BJP workers. He cited the example of a person who allegedly submitted 241 applications.
Khandre said voters whose names figured in the applications later approached police, alleging that false information and forgery had been used in an attempt to remove their names from the electoral roll.
Shivakumar also cited alleged instances in Belagavi, where he claimed BJP leaders and workers had acknowledged submitting applications. He referred to BJP’s defeated candidate Dr Ravi Patil, alleging that Patil had admitted that “we made a mistake”.
He also alleged that forms were brought to polling booths by people associated with a hospital run by Patil and that there were instances where persons whose names and phone numbers appeared on applications denied having submitted them.
The CM said FIRs had already been registered in Belagavi, Bhalki, Mysuru and other places in connection with alleged attempts to illegally delete names from electoral rolls.
He demanded that the EC initiate a criminal investigation and file FIRs against those responsible for what he described as “vote theft” and an electoral offence.
“It is the duty of the Election Commission, the State Election Commission, to file an immediate FIR. There shall be an FIR on the vote theft, on the electoral offence, on the criminality of this,” he said.
Shivakumar said he would personally submit the documents and evidence collected by his government and party to the Election Commission.
“I am going there. I am sitting there. I will not come back from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer till orders for an inquiry, a detailed inquiry into the criminal conspiracy, are issued,” he said.
Shivakumar also said that, if needed, he would sleep at the CEO’s office and even skip the scheduled Cabinet meeting on Thursday.
He said he had spoken to the EC and asked officials to obtain the relevant data, while also directing the Chief Secretary to collect information.
Shivakumar said the state government would examine the legal provisions available to investigate the matter, but maintained that the EC had the primary responsibility to act on alleged electoral offences.
“It is my Dharma, my duty, my responsibility and my right to create awareness among every voter,” he said.
He said Congress had appointed 54,000 BLA-2s, while the BJP had appointed 21,000 and JD(S) 300, according to lists available on the Election Commission website.
He said the government had extended cooperation to the Election Commission during the SIR, including creating awareness among voters and assisting them in obtaining documents required during the exercise.
Shivakumar said he was concerned that eligible voters could be excluded from the electoral process if the alleged mass applications were not properly scrutinised.
He appealed to Booth Level Agents, BLA-2s, legislators, political workers and voters to immediately report suspected Form 7 applications seeking deletion of their names or those of other voters.
He also urged Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Electoral Registration Officers, Tahsildars and other election officials to report alleged irregularities to the Election Commission.
“The SIR must be scrapped. Every person must be given the right to vote,” he said, demanding legal action against those found involved.
Shivakumar also appealed to the media to create awareness among voters, particularly the poor, Dalits, minorities and Scheduled Tribes, about the alleged attempts to delete names.
“As the chief minister of this state, if I do not protect all these poor people and minorities in this state, I am not fit to sit in this position. It is my bound duty to see that I protect every citizen and every voter of the state,” he said.
He said the issue was not restricted to Congress voters and asserted that every eligible voter, irrespective of political affiliation, should be protected.
“It is my bounden duty to protect them, including BJP voters,” Shivakumar said.
The chief minister said the government would examine the applicable provisions of law and act accordingly, while stating that he would not interfere in police investigations already underway.
Meanwhile, the CM reached CEO Anbukkumar’s office and submitted a memorandum demanding an inquiry into attempts to delete a large number of votes.
