'BJP deleting Oppn voters through SIR': Venugopal alleges 'massive misuse' of Form 7, writes to EC

Venugopal said the “uniformity in format, timing, targeting” of specific elector groups, and “absence” of mandatory particulars prima facie indicates the use of a “centralised and coordinated mechanism” for generating Form-7 applications for “mass deletion” of names.

New Delhi: Congress on Thursday told the Election Commission that BJP workers are filing voter deletion applications in a “centralised and coordinated” manner without clear and verifiable details in states where Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is taking place, putting the sanctity of electoral roll revision exercise in “serious doubt”.

General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, seeking corrective measures by instituting “strict vigilance and real-time supervision” over the voter deletion process “to prevent arbitrary, mass or malafide” deletions of names from the voter list as well as an investigation into instances of misuse of Form-7.

He said the “uniformity in format, timing, targeting” of specific elector groups, and “absence” of mandatory particulars prima facie indicates the use of a “centralised and coordinated mechanism” for generating Form-7 applications for “mass deletion” of names. “This even casts serious doubts over the sanctity of the entire SIR process being undertaken,” he said.

Venugopal warned the EC that if the action of the BJP workers remain unchecked, it will “not only embolden” the ruling party in their efforts to “wrongfully gain electoral advantage” but also “lead to the disenfranchisement of lakhs of voters”, especially those belonging to the backward and marginalised communities.

The Congress leader said the Form-7 serves a “narrowly defined purpose within the electoral framework, which is “not meant for generalised or speculative objections but for specific, fact-based cases supported by cogent material”. Since the time for filing claims and objections to draft rolls, he said there have been consistent and widespread complaints.

“Many forms contain illegible names and signatures of alleged objectors, random or invalid mobile numbers, and EPIC numbers that do not correspond to the purported objectors. In several instances where the alleged individuals/objectors filing Form -7 were traced, it was revealed that they were Booth Level Agents (BLA-2) affiliated with the BJP or complete strangers who categorically denied to have submitted any such objection…” he claimed.

He said analysis of reports shared from different states indicated a “peculiar pattern of objections being raised against “specific, targeted groups of electors across multiple states. He said it was first reported from Rajasthan and then from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam and Kerala, indicating that it is “neither localised nor isolated.

“The pattern/modus…is, first, there is generation of bulk, pre-printed objection forms in the Form-7 format prescribed by the Election Commission of India, allegedly through a centralised system,” he said adding that then such forms are used to raise objections en masse against targeted categories of electors, including SCs, STs, minorities and and senior citizens.

These pre-printed Form-7 applications are then handed over to Booth Level Officers across Assembly constituencies through a “well-organised mechanism”, he said, adding a “striking and common feature” of these forms is the “absence of clear and verifiable” particulars of the individual submitting it, which is a mandatory.

Venugopal also referred to Assam where the "misuse was evidently more egregious and blatant" and claimed ruling BJP workers in Assam illegally entered the election office and made attempts to access the election database to delete names through Form-7. Similar patterns are being reported from other states.

He suggested that the EC should frame, notify and enforce clear, uniform and stringent guidelines regulating the issuance, filing, scrutiny and adjudication of Form-7 applications, including safeguards against misuse and consequently enforce mandatory verification protocols, and accountability mechanisms for officers involved in the process.

He also asked the EC to invoke Article 324 of the Constitution and initiate an investigation into instances of misuse of Form-7 applications and the voter deletion mechanism and upon identification of deliberate false declarations or abuse of process initiate appropriate legal action in accordance with law, including registration of FIRs wherever warranted.

Venugopal also wanted release in Public domain the complete, readily accessible and disaggregated data relating to Form-7 applications for all 12 States undergoing SIR, including the total number filed, accepted, rejected and pending, along with constituency-wise and ground-wise break-up for the relevant revision period, in the interest of transparency and electoral integrity.