Two BLAs, others booked over alleged voter deletion bid

CH NEWS BENGALURU An FIR has been registered against two Booth Level Agents (BLAs) and others for allegedly submitting fraudulent Form-7 applications seeking deletion of 5,698 voters from the electoral rolls in Bengaluru’s Jayanagar Assembly constituency, police said on Tuesday. The case was registered on Monday night following a complaint by Karnataka Mahila Congress president and former Jayanagar MLA Sowmya Reddy. She alleged that the two BLAs, identified as Ramakrishna and Yogesh, were affiliated with the BJP. According to the FIR, the Form-7 applications were submitted during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, claiming that 5,698 voters had permanently shifted out of the constituency. Reddy allegedly conducted an inquiry into the matter and claimed that the two BLAs, along with others, had intentionally provided false information in the applications. The FIR alleged that the exercise affected voters from minority communities and others perceived to be politically opposed to the BJP and its allies. The complaint also alleged that voter details of C. Ramesh and his wife Roopa were used without their knowledge to submit Form-7 applications in their names. Some applications submitted to Booth Level Officer Lokesh were also allegedly found to contain forged signatures. Following the complaint, Jayanagar police registered a case against Ramakrishna, Yogesh and others under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to criminal conspiracy, providing false information, cheating by personation, forgery, using forged documents as genuine and common intention. The case has been registered under Sections 61(2)(b), 217(b), 319(2), 336(2), 340(2) and 3(5) of the BNS. Police said the matter is under investigation.