Bulk Form-7 applications seeking the deletion of Muslim voters’ names from electoral rolls have surfaced at several polling stations in Belagavi North Assembly constituency, with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) alleging that they were pressured to sign the forms.
The applications were reportedly brought to at least six polling stations, including four in Veerabhadra Nagar and two at a Government Kannada Higher Primary School in Shettigali.
The Form-7 is used to request the deletion of a voter’s name from the electoral roll.
BLOs Allegedly Pressured to Sign Forms
According to The Hindu, two men claiming to be from the Belagavi City Corporation brought large numbers of already printed Form-7 applications to the polling stations.
The forms contained the names and other details of voters, while the names of the people listed as objectors were either handwritten or left blank. The applications reportedly sought the deletion of Muslim voters’ names.
Meersab Sanadi, a Booth Level Agent at Veerabhadra Urdu Model School, said he was shocked to find his own name, along with the names of his brother, relatives and neighbours, among those targeted.
“For at least the last 15 years, I have been the Booth Level Agent (BLA) here at polling station 196 in Belagavi North Assembly constituency. But last week, when I saw at least 380 Form-7 applications at the school, I was shocked to find my name and my brother’s, along with those of our relatives and neighbours, sought to be deleted,” Sanadi said.
The BLOs told The Hindu that the two men repeatedly asked them to sign and return the forms urgently. The officials reportedly refused, saying they knew the voters whose names appeared on the applications and had been living in the area for years.
The men allegedly then called someone on the phone who claimed to be Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) Udayakumar Basavantappa Talawar and instructed the BLOs to sign the forms.
However, Talawar told The Hindu that someone had falsely used his name and that he had not issued any such instructions.
Some BLOs said they signed the forms after facing pressure, while others tried to contact their supervisors and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers but could not reach them.
Objectors Say They Did Not File Applications
Congress worker Amaan Sait said the men initially identified themselves as being from the corporation when questioned. He said they later claimed to be associated with Dr. Ravi Patil Hospital.
Sait said some people listed as objectors on the forms were contacted and confirmed that their names and phone numbers appeared on the applications. However, they said they had not submitted the forms seeking deletion of anyone’s name.
He said one set of applications was recovered after the matter was immediately brought to the authorities’ attention, but similar action could not be taken at other polling stations.
In one case, several Form-7 applications were filed in the name of Shashikant Jadhav. When contacted, Jadhav reportedly confirmed that the EPIC details and phone number on the forms belonged to him but said he had not filled out the applications.
Deletion Applications Also Reported in Bhalki
The report also said that bulk applications seeking deletion of Muslim voters’ names continued to be filed in Bhalki even after the claims and objections period ended on September 23.
According to the statutory Form-10 report, 1,131 applications were received between September 24 and 29. Of these, 1,123 were classified as bulk filings.
Applications submitted after the claims and objections period will be considered only after the final electoral rolls are published on October 27.
