Karnataka: Officials begin on-ground checks amid Mahadevapura voter fraud claims

Bengaluru: Even as the Election Commission in Karnataka is yet to launch an investigation into the allegations made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, lower-rung election officials on Friday rushed to the addresses that are at the center of the controversy over “electoral fraud” in Mahadevapura. 

Booth Level Officers (BLOs) visited Muni Reddy Garden, 5th Cross Road situated behind Tulasi Talkies, and 153 Biere Street, a micro-brewery on Hagadur main road.

During the visit, the BLOs spoke to the tenants and landlords to crossverify the names mentioned in the electoral roll with the actual occupants. 

At a press conference on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi alleged that over 40,000 voters in the Mahadevapura electoral roll had provided fake addresses. He specifically cited House No 35 in Muni Reddy Garden, which reportedly had 80 registered voters; a house on the street behind Tulasi Talkies with 46 voters; and the brewery, which allegedly had 68 voters.

When the BLOs visited these locations, they found that while some of the listed voters may have once lived there as tenants, none were present at the time of inspection.

At Muni Reddy Garden, the election staff had come with the electoral roll, but found that none of the voters mentioned in the list were living in House No 35. The house, which has just a kitchen, hall and a toilet, has now been rented to a family from West Bengal and the bread winner works as a food delivery executive. 

"Some of the names found in the electoral roll may have lived in this place,  but we had marked the names of missing voters as ‘residence shifted’. Chances are that all the 80 voters gave the same address for documentary proof while they lived in the shanties around this place,” a BLO told reporters. 

The BLOs also returned empty-handed after visiting the brewery. This is because the 68 voters — who gave their addresses as 153 Biere Club in the voter card — were no longer working at the brewery after the ownership changed hands in January this year. The brand name was also changed to 153 Biere Street. 

Jayaram Reddy, who has rented about 30 houses in Muni Reddy Garden, denied renting houses to any of the 80 voters mentioned in the electoral roll.

"I have had tenants from Assam, Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar. They take up odd jobs as security guards and maids, and rent the place just for a couple of months. I have not seen any of them voting here,” he said. 

For now, there is no clarity on how many people who gave fake addresses cast their votes in the recently held assembly or parliament elections. 

'No directions yet from EC'

Bengaluru Urban deputy commissioner G Jagadeesha, in-charge of Mahadevapura Zone in election matters, said they have not conducted any investigation into the allegations so far. “We have not received any directions from the Election Commission,” he said.