BJP threatens agitation over Form 7 cases across K’taka

The BJP on Sunday threatened a statewide agitation if police take legal action against its workers over bulk filing of Form 7 applications during Karnataka’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, escalating the political fight over alleged attempts to delete voters.India NewsFormer chief minister and senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa issued the warning after a party delegation led by him met Director General and Inspector General of Police M A Saleem and sought protection for workers facing police cases. The delegation included state BJP president B Y Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka, Council Opposition leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, MPs, MLAs and MLCs.“No legal action should be taken against our workers under any circumstances. They should not be arrested, harassed or assaulted. If this continues, we will launch a statewide agitation,” Yediyurappa said.He alleged that the police were acting at the behest of Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and said officers should act according to law rather than work to please the government.The BJP’s intervention came as police registered another case linked to the Form 7 controversy in Bengaluru. The Vyalikaval police have registered an FIR following a complaint by Congress leader Anoop Iyengar over 778 applications seeking deletion of voters in the Malleswaram Assembly constituency.G S Vasanthalakshmi, identified in the FIR as a BJP member, has been named accused No. 1. Another person, described as being associated with an RSS wing, has been listed as an unidentified accused. The complaint alleges that the applications sought deletion of voters who had in fact cast their votes, by describing them as having shifted residence or as otherwise ineligible. The 778 applications were spread across eight polling parts.Ashoka defended the submission of Form 7 applications and said the validity of individual applications should be decided by election authorities. “Submitting Form 7 is not a crime. It is the Election Commission, not the police station, that has to determine the truth and validity of a voter,” he said.The BJP’s warning follows a direction from Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukkumar to Electoral Registration Officers in all 224 Assembly constituencies to act against applicants who knowingly make false statements or declarations in Forms 6, 6A, 7 and 8.In a circular issued on October 1, Anbukkumar directed EROs to take action under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, after an inquiry under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.The directive came hours after Shivakumar led a sit-in at the State Election Commission office in Bengaluru and sought an FIR and a time-bound investigation into alleged bulk filing of Form 7 applications. He alleged that pre-printed applications were being used to target eligible voters, particularly from minority, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class communities.Shivakumar said the state government had not ordered a separate investigation because the Election Commission was already examining the allegations.“Details about where the application forms were printed and how they reached the BJP are coming to light. The truth has become clear to the Central Election Commission. Let us see what action it takes. We will take a decision thereafter,” he said.Shivakumar also rejected the BJP’s criticism of his interaction with the Election Commissioner, saying he had raised the issue through legal channels rather than staged an unlawful protest.“I did not stage a protest before the Election Commissioner and violate any law. I only brought the issue to the commissioner’s notice through legal means. What is wrong with that? They had sought time to discuss the matter, and we questioned why more time was required. Eventually, a solution was found. Where is the question of a protest?” he said.He also said he was prepared to face a case if he had violated the law.“If I have committed any wrongdoing, let a case be registered against me. The BJP is making such statements under pressure from its leadership. The law is the same for everyone. If I have disturbed public peace or violated the law, a case can be registered against me. These statements are being made for political reasons,” he said.