Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukkumar’s circular, issued on Thursday, tells district election officers to prosecute any applicant who files a false Form 7, 6, 6A, or 8 under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and to conduct an inquiry under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
The directive follows allegations that 36 individuals, mostly BJP workers, filed 241 pre‑printed Form 7s in Bhalki to delete 3,244 voters in a single day, a claim highlighted by Rural Development Minister Eshwar Khandre.
CM DK Shivakumar, flanked by six cabinet ministers, marched to the Chief Electoral Officer’s office and demanded an FIR and a prompt criminal investigation. 'This is a brazen act of vote theft orchestrated by the BJP and JD(S),' he declared.
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy called the protest 'unnecessary' while opposition leaders accused the Chief Minister of politicising the electoral roll. In Bhalki, a 65‑year‑old farmer, Ramesh Rao, said he feared his name might disappear from the roll.
Under the new directive, district officers must conduct inquiries within 30 days, file charges against false applicants, and hand over findings to the state police for possible arrest. The first case is expected to be presented before the Karnataka High Court next month.