Votegate: 3 officials suspended

Cornered from all sides, the BBMP on Monday suspended three revenue officers – who also hold the dual responsibility as electoral registration officers (ERO) of three different Assembly constituencies – for issuing government identity cards to the Malleswaram-based NGO, which is accused of undertaking illegal political surveys. The suspension was ordered on the basis of an internal report that confirmed the violation of the Representation of the People Act.

Curiously, the BBMP has not taken action against revenue officers of other Assembly constituencies, particularly of RR Nagar and Bommanahalli.

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In three separate orders, Chief Commissioner of BBMP Tushar Girinath issued suspension letters to K Chandrashekar (Mahadevapura), V B Bhimashankar (Chickpet) and Suhail Amhed (Shivajinagar), directing them to report to the parent department and not to leave the city.

An internal report by Deputy Commissioner, Bengaluru Urban and Special Commissioner, BBMP’s administration department, had found that these officers had issued ID cards with the name ‘Block Level Officer’ to employees of NGO Chilume Educational, Cultural and Rural Development Trust in September and November this year.

“According to the Representation of the People Act, no private person can be given a BLO or BLC card. The electoral registration officers (ERO) have also signed on the ID card. This is serious dereliction of duty,” the three suspension orders state. One of the order states that Shivajinagar Revenue Officer issued 14 identity cards while the Chickpet officer issued BLC cards for undertaking door-to-door survey in two wards.

Sources said that the NGO had nearly completed the house-to-house survey in Mahadevapura and RR Nagar. To a question on why no action has been taken in RR Nagar, the source said the decision would be taken based on the findings of the regional commissioner and the police investigation.

So far, assistant district electoral officers (ADEOs) of Central and Benglauru urban division have admitted to breach of conditions by NGO Chilume. The reports submitted by south and north ADEOs have stated that no such discrepancies were reported in their jurisdiction. Suspecting a massive voter data theft across the city, state Congress president D K Shivakumar has been demanding the suspension of all 28 revenue officers for defying the protocol.

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On Sunday, the police had arrested Krishnappa Ravikumar, founder of NGO Chilume and Prajwal, an employee of the trust. Both the accused have been sent to 12 days of police custody. The investigation is currently under way.

'Complaint didn't come to me'

“The complaint (filed by Samanvaya Trust on September 20) did not come to me. It was given to the assistant commissioner (election). He sent it to the nodal officer in-charge of SVEEP activities. The nodal officer immediately wrote to NGO Chilume, seeking clarification. There was a delay of 10-15 days in taking action but we terminated the contract on November 2. We decided to file a police complaint on November 15 after some journalists brought to our notice that the private employees were carrying BLO cards, said Tushar Girinath, BBMP Chief Commissioner.