DKS writes to KSEC alleging large-scale electoral roll errors in GBA, seeks special inquiry

DKS urges KSEC for a special inquiry into alleged electoral roll errors in Greater Bengaluru Authority, citing serious discrepancies.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has written to the Chief Election Commissioner of the Karnataka State Election Commission, alleging large-scale and systematic discrepancies in the preparation of electoral rolls across the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and seeking urgent corrective measures. This is in continuation of Mr. Shivakumar’s earlier representation dated February 17. 

The Deputy Chief Minister said that he had received complaints from multiple wards and polling stations pointing to what he described as large-scale discrepancies that undermine the credibility of the electoral process.   

He, among many issues, highlighted the splitting of families across polling stations and wards. Mr. Shivakumar also pointed to duplicate entries, stating that several voters have been repeated multiple times within the same part of the electoral roll and in some cases, in different parts of the roll, leading to the inflated and inaccurate voter lists. He said in one case, a person was shown twice with different genders.  

The Deputy Chief Minister further alleged that in areas where a polling area is divided between two wards, all the voters of a polling station had been shifted to one ward instead of being divided according to the ward boundaries.  The letter stated that many voters who have been residing and voting at the same address for decades had been deleted without a notice or verification.  

Mr. Shivakumar claimed that certain streets had been completely omitted from the electoral rolls and that in some wards, an Aadhaar card image had been used instead of the voter’s photograph in the voter list, which he termed as a gross violation of electoral roll norms.  

The Deputy Chief Minister requested the Commission to order an immediate special inquiry, take strict action against those responsible for the errors and undertake a rectification drive to ensure that no eligible voter is denied their right to vote. He urged the Commission to direct a comprehensive mapping exercise in which every street is mapped to the correct polling station, every street is mapped to houses, and every voter is mapped to a house. Such street-house-voter mapping, he said, would ensure accuracy, eliminate deletion of voters and duplication.