SIR row: Karnataka BJP accuses Congress government of targeting workers, seeks Governor's intervention

The Karnataka BJP and NDA leaders on Tuesday accused the Congress government of exerting undue influence on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and targeting BJP workers by registering criminal cases against them.

A delegation led by Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy, Karnataka Assembly Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka and Karnataka Legislative Council Leader of Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at Lok Bhavan and submitted a memorandum seeking his intervention in the matter.

Ashoka alleged that police stations across Karnataka had become "Congress stations" and accused the Shivakumar government of targeting BJP and JD(S) workers by filing cases against them.

"Anyone can submit Form-7, and they can submit as many as they want. This is the law," Ashoka said, adding that the Opposition had sought clarification from the Election Commission regarding whether it had asked the police to register cases against those submitting Form-7 applications.

According to Ashoka, the Election Commission clarified that it had not directed the police to register such cases. He also alleged that a complaint had been filed against the BJP MLA from Jayanagar and claimed that BJP workers were being targeted through criminal cases across the state.

"This shows Congress' goonda culture," Ashoka alleged, demanding that the government be warned against targeting BJP workers. He also called for the dismissal of the government.

NDA raises concerns over SIR process

The NDA delegation alleged that the Chief Electoral Office appeared to have succumbed to pressure from the state government and urged the Governor to ensure that false and unwarranted FIRs were not registered against individuals, including BJP workers, in connection with the SIR exercise.

The delegation said the SIR process in Karnataka was progressing through the stage of issuing notices and disposing of claims and objections. It said the exercise was intended to ensure accurate and legally valid electoral rolls and safeguard the integrity of elections.

The NDA leaders referred to Rule 13(2) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and said objections to the inclusion of a name in the electoral roll could be filed through Form-7 by a person whose name was already included in the electoral roll.

They also argued that there was no restriction on submitting Form-7 objections in bulk and cited an Election Commission communication dated January 16, 2026, as well as the Manual on Electoral Rolls, 2023, in support of their claim.

"Hence, no illegality is committed with submitting Form-7," the delegation stated.

BJP alleges police pressure

Chalavadi Narayanaswamy alleged that the Congress government was creating fear among people by registering FIRs against those against whom Congress workers had made allegations.

He said BJP and JD(S) leaders and elected representatives had met the Chief Electoral Officer on Monday and sought clarification over the alleged confusion surrounding Form-7 applications.

"The Chief Electoral Officer has clarified the issue. If there is any matter concerning Form-7, it is an issue between the Election Commission and the people. It is not a matter concerning the state government," Narayanaswamy said.

He claimed that submitting a Form-7 application did not automatically result in the deletion of a voter's name from the electoral roll.

"After Form-7 is submitted, not even a single name has been deleted. If any decision has to be taken, the Election Commission will scrutinise the applications. If the documents are correct, the name will be retained, and otherwise the application will be rejected," he said.

Narayanaswamy alleged that police were nevertheless registering suo motu cases under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against people submitting Form-7 applications.

He further accused the Congress government of putting pressure on the police department to register cases and criticised the functioning of the Home Department.

NDA seeks Governor's intervention

The NDA delegation also criticised Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and other ministers for allegedly holding a protest outside the Election Commission office despite prohibitory orders. The leaders claimed that the protest amounted to undue influence on the functioning of the Chief Electoral Office.

The memorandum alleged that such actions had resulted in a circular proposing action under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, causing apprehension among people who had submitted Form-7 applications.

The NDA leaders also referred to FIRs registered in districts including Belagavi, Bidar, Ballari and Mysuru, alleging that people were facing the possibility of criminal action in connection with the SIR process.

They urged Governor Gehlot to issue appropriate directions to the Karnataka government to safeguard the interests of individuals who had filed objections through Form-7 and ensure that "false, unwarranted FIRs" were not registered against them.

The BJP and JD(S) leaders said such intervention was necessary to maintain the purity of the electoral process and ensure that the SIR exercise was conducted in accordance with the law.

The allegations come amid an ongoing political confrontation between the Congress government and the Opposition over the SIR exercise, Form-7 applications and the role of the state administration in the electoral-roll revision process.