Karnataka orders inquiries into Form 7 voter filings

Karnataka’s Chief Electoral Officer has directed election officials to investigate Form 7 voter-roll applications and take action under existing law against applicants found to have knowingly made false declarations. The order requires an inquiry before any action and does not establish that the disputed filings were fraudulent. The circular, issued by Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbukkumar, was sent to district election officials and Electoral Registration Officers across the state after Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and other Congress leaders protested alleged bulk applications seeking voter deletions. Under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, officials must inquire into the applications. If an inquiry establishes a knowingly false declaration, the circular directs action under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. The Election Commission said it received 84,900 Form 7 applications from June 16 through October 1, and that none had resulted in a voter deletion as of October 1. The Commission also said the applications were not objections to proposed inclusions in the draft electoral roll published on August 24.