Officials filed 1/3rd of Form 7s in Karnataka, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• Over one-third of the approximately 1.82 lakh Form 7s filed in Karnataka to delete names from draft electoral rolls were submitted by officials.
• Of the 61,509 Form 7s filed by officials, over 53,000 were submitted in the last week of the disposal window, which ended on Thursday.
• These official-filed Form 7s lacked a mandatory reason for deletion, a requirement under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
• Officials claimed the forms were "auto-generated" by software for voters marked as 'ineligible' due to 'logical discrepancies' or being 'unmapped' from 2002 rolls.
• Cross-checks revealed that names cited in these applications, even those filed after the September 23 deadline, had already been deleted from the Election Commission of India (ECI) portal.

Detailed Insights:

• The issue arose during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka.
• Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) were listed as objectors in these applications.
• The practice meant the same election machinery was both raising objections and deciding on voter deletions, creating a conflict of interest.
• Rule 17 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, mandates rejection of claims or objections not lodged in the prescribed manner, including stating a reason.
• The bulk of these official-filed Form 7s (over 60,800) were submitted between September 24 and October 22, after the claims and objections period ended on September 23, 2026.
• The SIR enumeration phase had already led to over 1.07 crore name deletions in Karnataka, primarily for voters who had shifted or were absent.
• The final electoral roll for Karnataka is scheduled for publication on October 27, with only claims and objections received by September 23 to be considered.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Form 7: A statutory form under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, used to object to the inclusion or request the deletion of a name from the electoral roll.
• Special Intensive Revision (SIR): A comprehensive exercise by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to update electoral rolls, aiming for accuracy by removing deceased, duplicate, or ineligible entries and including eligible voters.
• Electoral Registration Officer (ERO): An officer responsible for compiling and maintaining the electoral roll for a constituency, including processing claims and objections.
• Registration of Electors Rules, 1960: Rules framed under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, governing the process of electoral roll maintenance, including additions, deletions, and modifications.