Actor-activist wants SIR exercise in State extended

Renowned actor and activist Prakash Raj has called on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to prolong the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Karnataka for an additional six months. Mr. Raj, speaking from Dharwad, emphasized that due to the State's two-year window until the next Assembly elections, the revision process must be thorough and meticulous, avoiding any potential discrepancies.

He criticized the haste with which the SIR was conducted in West Bengal, as elections were approaching, arguing that Karnataka's situation is distinct. Mr. Raj expressed concerns that the enumeration process, as mandated by the ECI, was not carried out adequately by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), citing visible discrepancies in the distribution and collection of enumeration forms.

He questioned the fairness of requiring voters who have previously exercised their franchise to reapply through Form 6, a document intended for new enrolments.

Mr. Raj highlighted that over 60 lakh people have been marked as having shifted while several lakh have been recorded as deceased, questioning the validity of these numbers given the voters' recent electoral participation. He argued that people should not be penalized for the shortcomings of BLOs and their superiors. To rectify these issues, Mr. Raj proposed that the ECI provide ample opportunities for voters with missing names on the electoral rolls to verify and restore their status.

He also pointed out that drought in certain regions of the State has led to mass migration, and excluding such individuals from the electoral rolls could be seen as an additional form of injustice. Mr. Raj announced that a demonstration will be held in Bengaluru on Tuesday to highlight these concerns and push for the extension of the SIR process by another six months.