Business · India Bureau
Karnataka authorities probe alleged voter deletion scheme involving BJP leader
Nine criminal cases have been registered across Karnataka following an investigation into a scheme to fraudulently delete legitimate voters from electoral rolls during the Special Summary Revision process. A vendor and seven others were wrongly declared deceased as part of the alleged conspiracy.
LSN India ·
State police have launched a multi-case investigation after uncovering an apparent coordinated effort to manipulate Karnataka's voter registration system. The scheme involved falsely declaring at least eight individuals, including a local vendor, as deceased to enable their removal from the Special Summary Revision (SIR) rolls—the administrative process used to update electoral registers.
The accused are alleged to have exploited the SIR deletion mechanism to systematically eliminate genuine voters from the electoral database. Law enforcement authorities registered nine separate cases in connection with the conspiracy, signaling the scale of the alleged irregularities uncovered during the investigation.
A former BJP leader has been booked in connection with the matter, marking a notable development as the case involves a member of the ruling party. Officials have not yet disclosed the specific roles played by individual accused parties or the districts where cases were registered.
The Special Summary Revision process, conducted periodically by electoral authorities, is designed to update voter rolls by removing deceased persons and correcting erroneous entries. Investigators allege that the accused misused this administrative function to fraudulently delete voters, potentially affecting electoral outcomes or enabling identity-related crimes.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the integrity of voter registration systems in Indian states and underscores the need for stronger safeguards against electoral manipulation.