The Karnataka SIR dispute intensified on Tuesday after an NDA delegation led by BJP and JD(S) leaders sought Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s intervention against what it called government interference in the revision of electoral rolls and the registration of criminal cases against people filing objections through Form-7.
The delegation, which included Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, BJP leaders R Ashoka and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, met Gehlot at Lok Bhavan and submitted a complaint letter. It accused the Congress government and its members of influencing the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and alleged that the state police machinery was being used to intimidate BJP workers and supporters who had objected to names on the rolls.
According to the delegation, criminal cases had been registered in connection with Form-7 objections at police stations in Bhalki in Bidar, Market Area in Belagavi, Vyalikaval in Bengaluru, Ballari and Narasimharaja in Mysuru. The delegation described the cases as unwarranted and alleged that individuals were being accused of filing fake objections targeting particular sections of society.
Form-7 is used to submit objections to the proposed inclusion or deletion of names from an electoral roll. The delegation said filing such objections was a statutory right under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. It cited an Election Commission communique dated January 16, 2026, and the Manual on Electoral Rolls, 2023, to claim that there was no bar on submitting objections in bulk.
Under the process described in the complaint, objections are examined by the Electoral Registration Officer or Assistant Electoral Registration Officer. The officer is required to conduct an inquiry and provide an opportunity of hearing to both the person filing the objection and the individual whose name is being challenged. Decisions by the electoral registration authorities can be taken through an appellate mechanism under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
The NDA delegation alleged that police authorities were invoking offences including cheating, forgery, intimidation and breach of peace under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in cases related to Form-7 objections. It acknowledged that filing false objections is punishable under Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, but claimed that the police were using more serious provisions while bypassing the non-cognisable nature of the election-law provision.
The complaint also referred to a protest held by Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and other ministers on October 1 on the premises of the Chief Electoral Officer’s office. The delegation alleged that the protest took place despite prohibitory orders and exerted pressure on the Chief Electoral Office and the SIR process. It further cited an August 2022 Karnataka High Court order and the Regulation of Protests, Demonstrations and Protest Marches (Bengaluru City) Order, 2021, which restricts protests to designated locations, including Freedom Park.
The BJP and JD(S) leaders had met Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukkumar on Monday, where they made similar allegations of government interference and misuse of police machinery. In its representation to the Governor, the delegation sought directions to the state government to prevent what it called false and unwarranted FIRs against people submitting Form-7 objections. The delegation said the intervention was necessary to protect the electoral-roll revision process and maintain the integrity of elections.
