Karnataka government mulls legal action over SIR

The Karnataka government is mulling over legal action over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) being conducted by the Election Commission of India in the State from June 20, even as the Congress is likely to hold a brainstorming session involving its leaders on May 24. Following this, the government is expected to spell out its specific plans.

Sources said that the Congress had called all its legislators, former legislators, defeated candidates, leaders and heads of frontal organisations for a meeting at a resort near Bengaluru where the SIR would be discussed in detail.

Among those participating in the sessions include Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Congress general secretary in charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, the sources said.

Meanwhile, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil told presspersons in his post-Cabinet briefing that the government would spell out its plan in four or five days.

“The Cabinet discussed SIR in detail and legal options that are open. The Election Commission has immunity. We discussed whether we can take the case to Supreme Court and request the apex court to get the final voters’ list. Several other points on SIR, including some of those in the public domain already, were discussed,” he said.

The Bengal example

Stating that the SIR pertained to the right of voting of the citizens, the Law Minister said, “In the light of 27 lakh voters deleted in West Bengal, and incidents reported in other States, no citizen in Karnataka should lose the right to vote for no reasons, in deliberate action and unnecessarily. In the name of SIR, a lot of opaque situations were created and there was no transparency. In Bihar, tribunals were established but they did not sit. Judges also resigned. All efforts would be made here to ensure that the right of the citizens are not trampled upon.”

Worrisome areas

Sources said that the Congress was worried about the deletion especially in districts such as Kodagu, Raichur, Yadgir, Chikkamagaluru, and Davangere, from where migration was high, and where fears of people being left out of the voter mapping done ahead of SIR was high. The mapping of 2025 electoral roll was the reference list, alongside 2002 electoral data, when the last SIR was conducted. In cases of progeny, 2025 voter list was the only basis.

Mr. Patil said that the government was yet to decided on the issues on which it would go to the Supreme Court. “Deliberations remained incomplete and a decision will be taken in the next four or five days,” he said.