Prakash Raj Urges Karnataka Government to Act Over SIR Voter List Concerns
Actor Prakash Raj and civil society groups have urged Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to intervene urgently, citing concerns that eligible voters could be affected during the ongoing SIR process.
Civil society representatives led by actor Prakash Raj met Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar at Vidhana Soudha on Monday and submitted a memorandum seeking government intervention in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision process of electoral rolls.
The delegation, representing Eddelu Karnataka and other organisations, raised concerns over the possibility of eligible voters being removed from the electoral rolls during the exercise. The groups called for stronger safeguards and a more detailed verification process before any names are deleted.
According to the representatives, a large number of voters have been placed in categories such as Shifted, Absent and Others. They argued that these voters should not be removed immediately and that Booth Level Officers should instead conduct door to door verification.
The groups also urged the state government to ask the Election Commission to extend the SIR exercise. They proposed extending the process by at least three months and sought a longer overall period to complete verification properly.
Another demand was to make the process easier for voters who have moved to a new location. The delegation said such voters should receive the necessary forms and assistance to transfer their electoral registration. New eligible voters should also be given an opportunity to register.
The representatives further asked the Karnataka government to take an active role in helping eligible citizens remain on the electoral rolls. They suggested that government officials conduct outreach visits and that dedicated help centres or helplines be established to assist people facing difficulties during the revision process.
The delegation claimed that a significant number of names could be affected in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka. It also raised concerns about booths where the reported deletion rate was allegedly high.
The civil society groups said that if the Election Commission does not accept their requests, the state government should consider raising the matter in the Legislative Assembly and adopt a formal resolution. They also suggested that Karnataka could approach the Supreme Court if necessary to protect the interests of eligible voters.
The meeting comes amid growing attention around the voter list revision exercise in Karnataka. The groups maintained that the process should focus on accurate verification while ensuring that genuine voters are not excluded from the electoral rolls.
