Amid Form-7 row, Chittapur sees first inquiry under RP Act; other bulk cases yet to be investigated

Without inquiries into individual cases, it cannot be established whether the applications had been submitted with wrongful intent

Published - October 25, 2026 06:30 am IST - Bengaluru

In Chittapur, an inquiry has now led to a police case invoking Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. | Photo Credit: File Photo

Even as allegations of bulk filing of pre-filled Form-7 applications targeting voters, largely from Muslim communities, surfaced across several Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, inquiries by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) were not initiated in any of the cases, barring in Chittapur Assembly constituency. In Chittapur, an inquiry has now led to a police case invoking Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

The FIR registered in Chittapur was the first among the 10 FIRs registered in the State over alleged misuse in bulk Form-7 applications to invoke the electoral law. The other nine FIRs were registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

All other cases remain uninvestigated even as the final electoral rolls are scheduled to be published on October 27.

The office of the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Friday said all 58,475 Form-7 applications received during the claims and objections period have been processed, but it remains unclear whether these processed applications also include objections filed by third parties in bulk numbers. The CEO’s office had earlier said that some objectors had withdrawn their applications after the incidents were reported, while also specifically stating that the total number of Form-7 applications received could include those filed in bulk.

Without inquiries into individual cases, it cannot be established whether the applications had been submitted with wrongful intent. However, the EROs have so far not initiated any such inquiries.

The Chittapur case, where electoral law was invoked, concerns 40 Form-7 applications submitted by a single elector — Mahesh Gouda of Hulandagera village, seeking deletion of voters’ names from the electoral roll of Part No. 261 in Chittapur Assembly constituency, represented by Home Minister Priyank Kharge.

Following an inquiry and field verification, the ERO rejected all 40 applications, finding that the voters were residing at their registered addresses and were eligible to remain on the electoral roll. The ERO also ordered that a complaint be filed with the jurisdictional police station to investigate whether an offence had been committed under Section 31. An FIR was subsequently registered in the case recently.

Section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, makes knowingly making a false statement or declaration in connection with the preparation, revision, or correction of electoral rolls a punishable offence, carrying imprisonment of up to one year, a fine, or both.

The case comes amid the bulk Form-7 applications row reported across the State, where the names and addresses of voters sought to be deleted were pre-printed, while the objectors’ details were handwritten. In all cases, a few individuals had filed deletion applications in bulk against minority voters, and people associated with the BJP were named in at least six FIRs.

The controversy had triggered an unprecedented confrontation between the State government and the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar led a sit-in outside the CEO’s office, demanding an inquiry into the irregularities. Following six hours of protest, the CEO issued an order on October 1 directing the concerned EROs to take action under Section 31 against applicants found to have “knowingly“ made false statements or declarations in Forms 6, 6A, 7 and 8. The order said that such action must be preceded by an inquiry under Rule 20 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.

The 10 FIRs registered in connection with the Form-7 controversy include three in Bengaluru, two in Mysuru, and one each in Bhalki, Babaleshwar, Ballari, Belagavi and Chittapur.

Published - October 25, 2026 06:30 am IST

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