A BJP-affiliated Booth Level Agent (BLA) in Ballari, Karnataka, has been reportedly booked for attempting to remove the names of 7,561 voters from the electoral rolls. This action was allegedly taken by claiming that these voters were either not present at their registered addresses or had relocated. The police complaint led to an FIR being lodged at the Brucepet police station on October 1, following a report by Goutham S, a Congress BLA.

Details of the FIR

The individual accused in the case, T Srinivas Mothkur, is the Opposition leader of the Ballari City Corporation and functions as BJP BLA-1. The FIR invokes Section 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which pertains to statements deemed likely to incite public disturbance. Mothkur had initially attempted to file Form 7 applications to request deletions of the voter names but reportedly faced rejection from the electoral authorities.

Mothkur’s efforts included submitting claims of voter absenteeism and relocations through Form 7 applications. Upon rejection, Mothkur proceeded to challenge the decisions further by filing objections despite the intended voters being already included in the draft electoral roll for the Ballari City Assembly constituency.

On September 21, he communicated with the Ballari City Corporation, stating that many Booth Level Officers had allegedly declined to accept his Form 7 applications. Mothkur claimed that only a select few BLOs were supportive of his submissions, prompting him to approach the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) directly with the remaining applications.

Election Authority Responses

The election authorities responded promptly, informing Mothkur that his allegations regarding the voters’ registration status were unfounded, lacking requisite documentation or supporting evidence. The ERO clarified the protocol for BLAs, explaining that while bulk submissions are allowable, a maximum of ten applications can be processed by a BLO at any single time.

Moreover, should a BLA submit over thirty applications during the designated claims and objections timeframe, it would be mandatory for either the ERO or the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer to carry out a personal verification. Additionally, Mothkur was instructed to provide a list of submitted applications along with a declaration confirming he had validated the details personally.

On September 22, Mothkur made another attempt, reiterating his readiness to object to the 7,561 voters listed in the draft electoral roll. He enclosed a comprehensive list and requested expedited action and completion of the revision process. However, the election officials again turned down this request, citing that mere allegations were insufficient for voter registration verification.

Allegations and Implications

Following Mothkur’s multiple attempts to alter the electoral rolls, Goutham S filed a formal complaint, asserting that Mothkur had previously submitted Form 7 applications aiming to delete the names of the targeted voters. Goutham also claimed that election officials at several polling stations had reconsidered the names based on Mothkur’s assertions.

It was further alleged that a significant proportion of the voters targeted in this endeavour belong to a minority community, with Goutham accusing the BJP BLA of an intent to exclude these minority voters from the electoral process. This incident marks the sixth case registered in Karnataka concerning the alleged misuse of Form 7 applications, with prior cases indicating involvement of BJP members across various regions, including Belagavi and Mysuru.

These developments highlight ongoing concerns regarding the integrity of the electoral process and raise questions about the compliance of political actors with electoral regulations. Authorities are expected to investigate the matter thoroughly, ensuring accountability and adherence to democratic principles in the electoral framework.

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