Karnataka SIR: poll officials filed 61,000 Form 7 applications, none citing a reason
The Hindu reported on 26 October that about 61,000 Form 7 applications in Karnataka, roughly one-third of all such forms in the State, were filed by poll officials themselves. None of them records a reason for deletion. The finding comes amid the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and an ongoing row over bulk Form 7 filings.
Why in news
What Form 7 is: It is the form used to object to the inclusion of a name or seek its deletion from the electoral roll. Valid grounds include death, shifting of residence, duplicate entry and not being a citizen. A form without a stated reason gives the voter nothing specific to answer at the hearing. Background of the row: Karnataka's SIR began on 16 June 2026. The State CEO's office reported 91,278 Form 7 applications by 4 October. Bulk filings in some constituencies led to several FIRs, a dharna by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and counter-charges by the BJP. The CEO has said no voter has been deleted merely because a Form 7 was filed. A party's Booth Level Agent (BLA-2) may file only up to 10 Form 7s at a time and 50 during the whole SIR.
Prelims pointers
- Form 6 = new enrolment. Form 6A = overseas (NRI) electors. Form 7 = objection or deletion. Form 8 = correction, shifting or replacement EPIC.
- Section 22 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 deals with correction of entries in electoral rolls.
- Section 31 of the RP Act, 1950 punishes false declarations in connection with rolls with imprisonment up to one year, or fine, or both.
- Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are government officials. Booth Level Agents (BLAs) are appointed by political parties.
- In ADR v. Union of India (May 2026), the Supreme Court upheld the Bihar SIR and stressed notice, inquiry, hearing and a reasoned order before deletion (Rule 21A, Registration of Electors Rules, 1960).
Mains angle
Deletion is the most sensitive part of roll revision, because a wrong deletion silently takes away the right to vote. When officials file objections without reasons, the burden shifts unfairly to voters. Safeguards needed: A recorded reason and evidence on every Form 7. Public, booth-wise lists of proposed deletions. Personal notice and hearing before any deletion. Action under Section 31 against false or bulk objections.
