Karnataka's electoral roll revision sparks mass deletion concerns

The controversy surrounding Karnataka's Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has expanded significantly, moving beyond isolated cases of individual errors to allegations of coordinated efforts to delete voter names across multiple districts. Voters in Bhalki, Vijayapura, and Belagavi have raised alarms over a surge in Form 7 applications—used to request deletion of names from electoral rolls—particularly affecting Muslim electors in their constituencies.

Form 7 applications allow registered voters or their representatives to petition for the removal of names from voter lists, typically citing reasons such as relocation, duplicate entries, or death. However, the recent spike in bulk submissions across several districts has prompted concerns that the mechanism is being misused as part of a systematic effort to disenfranchise specific communities.

Electoral officials in Karnataka have faced mounting scrutiny over the revision process, which is intended to update and correct the electoral rolls. The allegations of mass deletion attempts have now shifted focus from administrative lapses to questions about whether the revision drive is being weaponized to alter the electoral composition of certain constituencies.

Voters affected by these applications have begun filing counter-petitions and seeking clarification from election authorities. The Karnataka Election Commission is yet to issue a formal statement on the allegations, though the controversy has drawn attention from civil society organizations monitoring electoral practices in the state.