Karnataka Voter: Not a Single Name Deleted via Form 7, CEO V. Anbukumar Clarifies
Addressing widespread political concerns in Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V. Anbukumar categorically stated on Monday that not a single voter's name has been expunged from the state's electoral rolls via Form 7 objection filings. The clarification follows intense political allegations accusing cadre from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) of attempting large-scale, unauthorized deletion of thousands of legitimate voters during the ongoing Special Intensive Review (SIR) exercise. Form 7 serves as the statutory instrument under Election Commission of India (ECI) regulations to formally object to an inclusion or seek the removal of a deceased, shifted, or bogus name from the voter list. Countering claims of administrative bias or disenfranchisement, the CEO confirmed that every submission is undergoing meticulous multi-tiered scrutiny and that no arbitrary deletions have taken place.
Scrutiny of 91,278 Form 7 Submissions: Inquiry Launched into Fraudulent Objections
Official data indicates that the state election machinery logged a total of 91,278 Form 7 applications between June 16 and October 4, 2026. Prior to the formal closure of the claims and objections window on September 23, the tally stood at 58,220 filings, none of which represented objections against newly proposed name inclusions. Following an extensive six-hour review meeting with district election authorities, Anbukumar revealed that he had detected suspicious patterns in bulk application filings 7 to 10 days earlier and directed field officials to initiate an exhaustive inquiry into false declarations and misleading claims. Dispelling speculation of formal prosecution by election machinery, he explained that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have not lodged any FIRs, as the mandatory seven-day statutory notice period remains underway; existing FIRs under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) were filed by private individuals and remain sub judice.
Strict Guidelines for Voters: Final Hearings Scheduled Ahead of ECI Deadline
Reassuring the electorate across Karnataka, CEO Anbukumar emphasized that registered citizens are not required to appear in person before the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) unless an officer specifically determines that personal testimony is indispensable. The administrative hearing process will be wrapped up before the ECI cutoff on October 13, with final determinations on all remaining objections resolved prior to October 22, 2026. Following the conclusion of the SIR, seven recognized political parties will receive official digital copies (without photos) and certified physical rolls (with photographs). Furthermore, over 40 lakh notices issued under the 'no mapping' and 'anomalies' categories have been published directly on the CEO's official web portal to guarantee public accessibility and absolute transparency in the roll-cleansing process.
