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Bulk Form-7 applications seeking deletion of names, largely Muslim voters, have been filed across several Assembly constituencies in the State, with more than 4,000 deletions being sought, according to Form-10 statutory report, which consolidates details of Form-7 objections.
In a few cases, the applications were found to have the details of the voters “already printed”, with only the objectors’ names handwritten.
In Babaleshwar alone, 1,373 Form-7 applications were received on September 22. Of these, 1,363 were filed by just 10 people, seeking deletions largely against Muslim voters outside their own polling stations. Babaleshwar is represented by Congress Minister M.B. Patil.
In many Form-7 applications, the targeted voters’ details were printed on the forms, with only the objectors’ names handwritten. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Between September 22 and 23, Huchappa Ganiger, an elector in Babaleshwar Assembly constituency, filed 493 Form-7 applications seeking deletions, largely against Muslim voters, across about 30 polling stations. Of these, 423 were filed on September 22, a day before the deadline for claims and objections ended. On September 23, Mr. Ganiger filed another 70 applications, while several other individuals also appeared in the data as having filed multiple objections. On the same day, another elector, Govindaraj Mundur, filed 413 applications across 33 polling stations.
Data suggests similar pattern at Bhalki in Bidar district, represented by Minister Eshwar Khandre. At least 30 people filed objections seeking the deletion of more than 1,700 names on September 23. Several of those who filed bulk objections that day had also submitted multiple Form-7 applications the previous day. An elector named Santosh filed 120 applications on September 23, after filing 54 on September 22.
In Basavakalyan, an elector named Siddappa filed 32 of the 37 Form-7 applications received on a single day. All the objections were all against Muslim voters within a single polling station (Part No. 163). At Belthangady in Dakshina Kannada, an elector named Umesh Bangera filed 21 applications, again all targeting Muslim voters in a single polling station (Part No. 47). Both Basavakalyan and Belthangady are represented by the BJP. The reason cited against the electors in the applications is “Absent/Permanently Shifted”. The applications in Bhalki also raise questions about how some of the objections were prepared.
In two such cases, the details of the objectors were handwritten, while the names of the voters whose deletion was being sought were already filled in and printed on the forms.
For instance, multiple Form-7 applications named “Vishnuvardhan Kote”, an elector at Booth 129, as the person filing the objection. When contacted by The Hindu, however, the person said he was not Vishnuvardhan and identified himself as “Suresh”. The EPIC details mentioned in the applications, when cross-checked, were linked to an elector named Vishnuvardhan.
The Hindu furtherobtained photographs of the physical Form-7 applications. In these, only Vishnuvardhan’s details were handwritten, while the details of the voters whose deletion was being sought were already printed on the forms. The same was seen in applications bearing the name “Santosh Eshwar”, who has filed more than 170 Form-7.
Bulk Form-7 applications seeking deletion of names, largely Muslim voters, have been filed across several Assembly constituencies in the State, with more than 4,000 deletions being sought, according…