Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 5 (ANI): Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said no FIR can be registered in connection with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process without a complaint from the Election Commission, alleging that FIRs registered by the state government based on complaints from private individuals are illegal.
Speaking to the media after NDA leaders met the State Chief Electoral Officer, Bommai said the Election Commission had clarified that it had not lodged any complaint regarding the SIR process.
“The Election Commission has clearly clarified that no FIR can be registered in connection with the SIR process without a complaint from the Election Commission, and the Commission has stated that it has not lodged a complaint anywhere. Therefore, the state government filing FIRs is illegal,” he said.
Bommai alleged that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had put pressure on the Election Commission and acted unlawfully.
“The Election Commission has made it clear that no FIR can be registered without a complaint from the Election Commission itself. The Election Commission must file the complaint. However, cases are being registered daily based on complaints by private individuals,” he said.
He added that the Commission had stated that it had not given any complaint through an Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) or Booth Level Officer (BLO).
“We have not given a complaint anywhere through an ARO or BLO, and we are unconcerned with complaints given by others,” Bommai quoted the Commission as saying.
Bommai said the NDA leaders had asked the Election Commission to issue directions preventing police from registering complaints related to the SIR process based on Forms 6 and 7.
“The State Chief Electoral Officer stated that he has written a letter to the Central Election Commission seeking information,” he said.
Taking a swipe at the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Bommai said the Congress leader had earlier raised concerns over discrepancies in voter list additions but was now opposing the deletion of allegedly illegal voter names.
“Last year, Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi alleged discrepancies regarding name additions in the voter list. Now, illegal voter names are being deleted, and he is saying, ‘Do not delete them.’ This is his absurd argument. He is worried that fake votes will be deleted,” he said.
Bommai also alleged that Shivakumar was anxious that the voter list revision could affect his political prospects in the 2028 elections.
“CM D.K. Shivakumar is afraid. Anxious that the purification of the voter list will shatter his 2028 dream, he is putting pressure on the Commission,” he said.
Responding to a question about Form 7 applications being submitted in groups, Bommai said EPIC numbers were available on the Election Commission’s website and that complaints were verified before action was taken
“The Commission receives complaints, verifies them, and then takes action. Even the court has stated that no immediate action needs to be taken just because a Form 7 complaint is submitted,” he said.
Union Ministers H.D. Kumaraswamy and Shobha Karandlaje, Leader of Opposition R. Ashok, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy and other BJP and JD(S) leaders were present at the event. (ANI)
Related reading
