Voter data theft case in Bengaluru: Close to a lakh additions, deletions to be scrutinised

As per the draft electoral roll details, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike had provided, there are 1.91 lakh voters in Shivajinagar, 2.1 lakh in Chickpet and 5.64 lakh in Mahadevapura.

The complete electoral rolls with additions and deletions will be shared with recognised political parties so that they can file claims and objections.

The Special Commissioners who have been appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to oversee the purity of electoral rolls in three Assembly constituencies in the city may have to sanitise more than 35,000 additions and over 64,000 deletions in the list.

Following serious allegations theft of voter data by an NGO — Chilume Educational and Rural Development Trust — and reports of private individuals allegedly using identity cards of booth level officials, the ECI, on Friday, appointed three senior IAS officers for overseeing and ensuring purity of electoral rolls in three constituencies: Shivajinagar, Chickpet and Mahadevpura.

To file claims, objections

Sources said, “As per the directions of the ECI, complete electoral rolls with additions and deletions will be shared with recognised political parties so that they can file claims and objections. Let them verify independently at the booth level. The officials concerned will also independently verify additions and deletions at the booth level.”

“If someone’s name is wrongly deleted, we will reach out to the citizen concerned and request him or her to submit form 6 to take corrective measures. In addition to this, the general public can also check their names in the electoral rolls. In case of any discrepancies, such grievances will be attended to,” the source added.

The official added that in future, a robust mechanism will be put in place to make verification and approval without giving scope for wrong doings or mistakes.

100% check

In a press release issued on Friday, the ECI had stated that there will be 100% check of the deletions and additions in the electoral rolls after January 1, 2022, in these three constituencies. The period of claims and objections under Special Summary Revision (SSR) has been extended up to December 24.

As per the draft electoral roll details, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had provided, there are 1.91 lakh voters in Shivajinagar, 2.1 lakh in Chickpet and 5.64 lakh in Mahadevapura. 

One more accused arrested

The Halasuru Gate police on Saturday arrested five people, including three Regional Officers and one Assistant Revenue Officer. The fifth person, identified as Shivakumar, is an employee of the Chilume trust, and is said to be an important link between his office and the accused BBMP officials.

Soon after, the police arrested the BBMP officials who, they said allegedly colluded with Chilume trust to manipulate the voters list.

The police also continued to question Ravikumar, who was arrested earlier, about the confidential data which they had recovered during the recent raid . According to the police, the data should be with the BBMP or the candidate who is contesting the election.

The probe has so far revealed that Ravikumar had employed around 500 people to survey the city’s voters. In the south division alone, the accused have deleted a majority of the voters belonging to a minority community and replaced them with fresh names, added the police. The police suspect that the voters ‘data may have been shared with many politicians and investigations are on to ascertain financial transactions between them.