Karnataka Election Commission takes legal action against Congress over false Form 7 claims
The Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer has agreed to initiate legal proceedings against those responsible for filing bulk Form-7 applications aimed at deleting eligible voters during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The assurance came after Congress legislators led by Chief Minister D K Shivakumar held a demonstration at the CEO's office, where they alleged that the Election Commission of India had failed to act on complaints of fraudulent Form-7 submissions in many constituencies of the state.
Form 7 is used for making objections regarding proposed inclusion or deletion of names in electoral rolls. Following the Congress complaint, the CEO sent a directive to every electoral officer not to approve any Form-7 other than those involving death cases and double entries. For death cases, uploading a death certificate is necessary, while for double entries, details of the second EPIC number are compulsory and must be mentioned in Electoral Registration Officer remarks. The CEO has directed concerned EROs to take action under the law against any applicant who knowingly made false statements or declarations under the Representation of the People Act, followed by an enquiry under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electoral Rules.
The Congress had submitted a memorandum to the CEO prior to the protest, attaching three FIRs filed on September 30 and October 1. As the ECI's enquiry proceeds, police will also investigate these FIRs filed in connection with the fraudulent bulk submission of Form-7s.
