SOURCE :- SIASAT NEWS
Bengaluru: Several Booth-Level Officers (BLOs) in Karnataka’s Belagavi North Assembly constituency have claimed they were pressured into signing bulk Form 7 applications, The Hindu reported.
According to the report, BLOs were receiving “already printed” Form 7s seeking deletion of Muslim names in large numbers. This incident was flagged in at least six polling stations in the constituency — two at the Government Kannada Higher Primary School in Shettigali and four in Veerabhadra Nagar.
Pose as officials, men seek Muslim name deletion
BLOs stationed at these polling booths told The Hindu that they were approached posing as Belagavi City Corporation with bulk Form 7 applications seeking removal of Muslim names only. While the voters’ names and information were pre-printed, the objectors’ details were either written by hand or left completely blank.
The men allegedly pressured the BLOs to sign and return the forms immediately. The BLOs resisted, explaining that they personally knew the voters on the list, as these residents had lived in the area for years. When the officers stood their ground, the men reportedly called a person who claimed to be Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) Udayakumar Basavantappa Talawar and ordered them to sign the applications.
A booth-level agent (BLA) with 15 years of experience also expressed shock at witnessing 380 Form 7s submitted that included acquaintances, relatives and even his own name.
BLA’s own name in bulk Form 7 applications
“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,” said BLA Meersab Sanadi of Veerabhadra Urdu Model School, where he also serves as the chairman.
Sanadi had just returned from lunch when he saw that the BLOs were engaged with the two men. “When the BLOs questioned the men, they were told that such forms had been sent to BLOs across polling stations and had to be signed urgently. The men then again called someone on the phone who posed as an ERO and instructed the BLOs to sign the forms,” the BLA said.
ERO Talawar has since confirmed that his name was falsely used to issue such directions.
BLOs pressured to sign
The two men eventually pressured some BLOs to sign the forms, the report said, while others tried contacting their supervisors for confirmation but could not reach them. BLA Sanadi said as the situation escalated, locals called Belagavi North MLA Asif Sait, who also could not be reached as he was in the Assembly session. Their next option was calling the MLA’s son and Congress worker Amaan Sait.
Amaan Sait said that the men initially claimed to be municipal corporation employees when questioned. Upon further inquiry, however, they admitted they were from Dr Ravi Patil Hospital. Sait added that when several individuals listed as objectors on the forms were contacted, they acknowledged their names and phone numbers but denied ever filing objections against any voters.
Muslim voter deletion, according to the report, continued in Bhalki assembly constituency even as the Claims and Objections period ended on September 23.
Individuals who submitted Form 7 applications before the deadline continued to turn them in in bulk.
SOURCE : SIASAT
