Karnataka CM stages sit-in protest over SIR irregularities in Bengaluru:Several ministers join him; alleges plot to remove names of 45 lakh voters

Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is staging a sit-in outside the State Election Commission’s office over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. He said he would not leave until a report is filed against those involved in the misuse of Form 7. The protest is taking place outside the office of Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V. Ambukumar. Shivakumar is demanding an FIR into the alleged irregularities in the SIR process. Earlier, while speaking to the media, he said irregularities had been found in the names of more than 45 lakh voters. He alleged that bulk Form 7 applications were being submitted as part of a conspiracy to remove eligible voters’ names. SIR completed in Karnataka in August The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in Karnataka was conducted from June to August 8, 2026. Before the exercise, the state had 5.54 crore voters. During the SIR, 1.08 crore names were removed, reducing the total number of voters to around 4.46 crore. In addition, notices were issued to around 43 lakh voters over discrepancies. The final electoral roll will be published at the end of the year after claims and objections have been disposed of. Claim: Pre-filled Form 7 applications were submitted Shivakumar said people in several Assembly constituencies, including Vijayapura, Bhalki, Belagavi, Mysuru, Mudigere and Bengaluru, were given pre-filled Form 7 applications. The forms already contained voters’ names, addresses and EPIC numbers. He alleged that the BJP and party-linked leaders had collected Form 7 applications at more than 70% of polling booths. The Chief Minister claimed that some people had submitted dozens of applications, while others had submitted hundreds. He cited examples of individuals who had submitted 84, 92, 241 and 423 forms. He said these applications were being used to target minority, backward-class, Dalit, Scheduled Caste and tribal voters. 3,244 Form 7 applications submitted in Bhalki in a single day Karnataka minister Eshwar Khandre said 36 people submitted 3,244 Form 7 applications in Bhalki in a single day. He identified these individuals as BJP workers. Khandre cited the example of a person who had submitted 241 applications. He said the voters whose names appeared in these applications later approached the police. The voters alleged that false information and forgery were used in an attempt to remove their names from the electoral roll. Next Assembly election in Karnataka in 2028 The last Assembly election in Karnataka was held in May 2023, with the Congress winning 135 of the 224 seats and forming a majority government. The BJP won 66 seats, JD(S) won 19 and other parties won four seats. The next Assembly election in the state is due to be held in May 2028. Know about the SIR process SIR completed in 10 states and 3 Union Territories The first and second phases of the SIR have covered 10 states and three Union Territories. After the SIR, the BJP won the Assembly elections in Bihar, West Bengal, Puducherry and Assam. The Congress-led alliance won in Kerala, while TVK won in Tamil Nadu. A Special Revision (SR) was conducted in Assam, where the BJP government also returned to power. Third phase: SIR in 16 states, including Delhi and Maharashtra On May 14, the Election Commission announced the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in 16 states and three Union Territories, including Haryana, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Maharashtra. This is the third phase of the SIR. The entire process will run from May 30 to December 23. During this period, 36.73 crore voters are being verified. Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur, among the states covered by the SIR, are due to hold Assembly elections next year. The other 13 states will go to the polls in 2028 and 2029.