Voter data theft: Govt suspends four revenue officials

The state government on Saturday suspended four revenue officers in-charge of election-related duties in assembly constituencies where voter data theft was reported late last year.

Based on a letter written by BBMP, the Urban Development Department (UDD) placed four electoral registration officers (ERO) — Chandrashekar (Mahadevapura), V B Bhimashankar (Chickpete), and Suhail Ahmed and Gultaz Fathima (Shivajinagar) — under suspension.

The officers were suspended for the breach of the Representation of the People Act, which bars issue of identity cards for election-related activities to a private person or organisation.

The action follows the controversy surrounding NGO Chilume’s involvement in collecting voter data in different constituencies across the city.

Although the Congress alleged the role of cabinet ministers of the BJP-ruled state government, the winter session did not see much discussion on the issue.