Karnataka minister contradicts Congress, backs SIR process

Bengaluru: Karnataka Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi has sparked a political debate by declaring that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was conducted properly in Karnataka, even as Congress leaders have accused the exercise of targeting Muslim and Dalit voters.

His remarks have come at a politically sensitive time, with the Congress scheduled to stage a protest in New Delhi on November 1 against the SIR exercise and the Election Commission of India.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Jarkiholi said he had no objections to the SIR process conducted in Karnataka. However, he expressed reservations about the exercise in other states, including West Bengal, Maharashtra and Bihar.

He said the removal of names belonging to deceased voters, people who had shifted residences and those registered in more than one place was justified. According to him, adequate training had been provided to personnel involved in the revision process in Karnataka, helping ensure that the exercise was conducted properly.

Jarkiholi’s statement stands in contrast to allegations raised by several Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who have questioned the large-scale deletion of names from electoral rolls.

The Karnataka electoral roll revision has become a major political controversy after the final list reportedly showed a reduction of nearly 99.32 lakh voters, bringing the electorate down from around 5.54 crore to 4.55 crore.

Congress leaders have raised concerns over the manner in which the deletions were carried out and demanded greater transparency in the process. They have alleged that vulnerable communities could be disproportionately affected.

At the national level, the Congress and other opposition parties have demanded the withdrawal of the SIR exercise and action against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Jarkiholi, however, maintained that Karnataka’s exercise was conducted satisfactorily and said similar procedures should be followed in other states.

The Election Commission’s procedures and the circumstances surrounding individual deletions remain central to the controversy, with the opposition demanding assurances that eligible voters will not be excluded from electoral rolls.

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