Minister Jarkiholi defends state's SIR process
CH NEWS, BENGALURU Senior state leadership is experiencing internal friction regarding recent electoral roll modifications. While prominent ruling party officials have fiercely condemned the Special Intensive Revision across Karnataka, Minister Satish Jarkiholi has publicly praised the Election Commission, declaring that the extensive voter list cleanup within the state was executed correctly and professionally. The contrasting political stance emerged during a press briefing in the capital, catching party colleagues off guard. High ranking officials, including Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and state party heads, have vocally protested the removal of nearly one crore voter names. They argue that marginalized communities, including minority and Dalit populations, faced deliberate targeting. The party has even organized national demonstrations in New Delhi to protest the revision framework and demand leadership changes within election oversight bodies. Despite these collective objections, Jarkiholi defended the local execution of the process. He explained that comprehensive staff training in Karnataka ensured the operation ran smoothly, resulting in the justified removal of duplicated, relocated, or deceased voters. The massive revision reduced total registered voters from 5.5 crore down to 4.5 crore after dropping over 99 lakh inactive entries. While voicing support for the state's administrative handling, the Minister acknowledged valid concerns regarding similar revision exercises in other regions like West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Bihar. He maintained that opposition protests in those areas stem from administrative flaws, whereas Karnataka's implementation avoided such pitfalls. This unexpected divergence in political messaging highlights internal debates within the ruling administration as leaders balance party opposition against official electoral operations. Local authorities continue defending the statistical accuracy of the updated voter database, even as state leaders prepare for upcoming national demonstrations against the sweeping electoral reforms.
