Karnataka BJP Seeks Withdrawal of FIRs Against Workers Over Form-7 Applications

Vijayendra, who was accompanied by former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka and other senior BJP leaders, alleged that the cases had been registered under political pressure from the state government.

Form 7 is an Election Commission-prescribed mechanism through which an elector can object to the inclusion of another person's name in the electoral roll or seek deletion of an entry on specified grounds. The applicant is required to substantiate the reason for the objection, while the decision on the electoral entry rests with the election authorities.

Speaking after the meeting with the DGP-IGP, Vijayendra said submitting Form 7 was part of the statutory electoral process and argued that citizens could use the provision when they believed an electoral-roll entry was incorrect or ineligible.

He alleged that the state government was using the police machinery against BJP workers who had participated in the process. Vijayendra further claimed that the FIRs followed political pressure after Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and other ministers protested before election authorities over alleged irregularities in Form-7 applications.

The BJP leader demanded that the cases against its workers be withdrawn and warned that the party would consider protests, including demonstrations outside police stations, if the government did not act on its demand.

Vijayendra also criticised the proposed investigation into the Form-7 controversy, arguing that the state government should not interfere with the functioning of the police. He alleged that the government was misusing its authority and called for political interference in policing to be avoided.

The dispute comes amid a wider confrontation between the Congress government and BJP over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Karnataka. The Congress has alleged that bulk Form-7 applications were being used in an attempt to remove eligible voters from the rolls, while the BJP has rejected the allegations and maintained that Form 7 is a legitimate mechanism for raising objections.

Karnataka Police have registered multiple FIRs over allegations involving attempts to use Form 7 to seek deletion of voters' names, including cases involving BJP leaders and workers. Investigations into the individual complaints are underway.

The BJP delegation also included Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, former Deputy Chief Minister C.N. Ashwath Narayan, MLAs Byrathi Basavaraj, S.R. Vishwanath and K. Gopalaiah, and Lok Sabha MP P.C. Mohan.