Bengaluru, July 7 (IANS) Senior BJP and JD(S) leaders from Karnataka, including four Union Ministers, will meet the Election Commission of India (ECI) in New Delhi on Tuesday to submit a memorandum over issues concerning the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

The delegation, scheduled to call on the Election Commission at its headquarters at 3 P.M. on July 7, comprises Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje and Union Minister of State for Railways V. Somanna.

They will be joined by Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R. Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Arvind Bellad, JD(S) Legislature Party leader Suresh Babu, Kolar MP Mallesh Babu and JD(S) Youth Wing President Nikhil Kumaraswamy.

According to party sources, the BJP-JD(S) delegation will submit a formal complaint to the poll panel seeking its intervention in issues related to the electoral process in Karnataka. The leaders are expected to present a detailed memorandum outlining their concerns and request appropriate action from the Election Commission.

The meeting assumes significance amid the political row over the SIR of electoral rolls in Karnataka. The BJP and JD(S) have alleged irregularities in the revision exercise and have accused the state government of attempting to influence the process, allegations that the state government has denied.

While the Election Commission has not commented on the proposed memorandum, the BJP-JD(S) leaders are expected to brief the media after their meeting with the poll panel in New Delhi.

It can be noted that Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday accused the Karnataka government and Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of attempting to derail the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls in the state. The NDA leaders alleged large-scale violations of the Election Commission of India’s guidelines, and added that they would approach the Chief Election Commissioner in New Delhi if corrective measures were not initiated.

The allegations were made after an NDA delegation submitted a memorandum to Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbu Kumar in Bengaluru seeking an enquiry into the alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls.

Addressing a joint press conference, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi alleged that the Congress government was violating the Election Commission of India’s prescribed procedures by distributing enumeration forms in groups instead of conducting mandatory door-to-door verification.

“The state government has taken people in herds like sheep and distributed enumeration forms during the SIR exercise. They are also conducting a separate SIR in selected booths under the Greater Bengaluru Authority, although they have no constitutional authority to do so,” Joshi alleged.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Congress President B.K. Hariprasad on Monday accused BJP of attempting to manipulate the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls and alleged that the party was using Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy as a “pawn” in its political campaign against the Congress.

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday accused the Opposition of attempting to deprive poor and minority communities of their voting rights through the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls, while asserting that his government was only creating awareness among citizens to help them safeguard their franchise.

–IANS

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