SIR: Filled Form-7 targeting Muslim voters surface in Belagavi; BLOs allege they were pressured to sign

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In many Form-7 applications, the targeted voters’ details were already printed on the forms, with only the objectors’ names handwritten. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

“For at least the last 15 years, I have been the Booth Level Agent (BLA) here at polling station 196 in Belagavi North Assembly constituency. But last week, when I saw at least 380 Form-7 applications at the school, I was shocked to find my name and my brother’s, along with those of our relatives and neighbours, sought to be deleted,” said Meersab Sanadi, BLA at Veerabhadra Urdu Model School in Belagavi’s 7th Cross, where he is also the chairman. 

The incident, in which “already printed” bulk Form-7 applications seeking deletion of Muslim names were received by Booth Level Officers (BLOs), was reported at at least six polling stations in Belagavi North Assembly constituency — four in Veerabhadra Nagar (polling parts 194, 195, 196 and 199) and two at the Government Kannada Higher Primary School in Shettigali (polling parts 209 and 210). 

BLOs at these stations told The Hindu that two men, claiming to be from the Belagavi City Corporation, brought a bulk of Form-7 applications seeking deletion of only Muslim names. The voters’ names and other details were pre-filled, while the objectors’ names were either handwritten or left blank. 

The men allegedly repeatedly told the BLOs that the applications had to be signed and returned urgently. The BLOs, however, refused, saying they knew the electors whose names appeared on the forms as that they had been living in the area for years. When the BLOs continued to refuse, the men allegedly called someone over the phone who posed as Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) Udayakumar Basavantappa Talawar and instructed them to sign the applications. 

At the same time, Mr. Sanadi returned from lunch and questioned the two men after finding his name. “When the BLOs questioned the men, they were told that such forms had been sent to BLOs across polling stations and had to be signed urgently. The men then again called someone on the phone who posed as ERO and instructed the BLOs to sign the forms,” he maintained. 

ERO Mr. Talawar confirmed to The Hindu that someone had falsely used his name and that he had not issued any such instructions. 

Under pressure, some BLOs said they signed the forms, while others said they tried to contact their supervisors and the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AEROs), but could not reach them. 

As the situation unfolded, the BLA said he and other local residents at the polling station contacted Belagavi North MLA Asif Sait, who was attending the Assembly session and could not be reached. They then contacted his son and Congress worker Amaan Sait. 

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Amaan Sait said the men initially claimed to be from the corporation when he questioned them. When pressed further, they said they were from Dr. Ravi Patil Hospital, he said.  

Mr. Sait said that when some of the objectors whose details were on the forms were contacted, they confirmed that the names and phone numbers were theirs, but said they had not filled out the applications against anyone. “The forms could be recovered at one polling station as it was immediately brought to the notice, but that couldn’t be done at other polling stations,” he said. 

For instance, several forms were filed in Shashikant Jadhav’s name, but when contacted, he said the EPIC details and number on the forms were his, but he had not filled out any of the forms.

The trend of seeking deletions of Muslim voters’ names, meanwhile, continued in Bhalki even after the claims and objections period ended on September 23, with people who had filed Form-7 applications in bulk before the deadline continuing to file applications. The statutory Form-10 report shows 1,131 applications were received between September 24 and 29, of which 1,123 were bulk filings. 

Applications filed after the claims and objections period will be taken up only after the final electoral rolls are published on October 27. 

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V. Anbu Kumar was not available for comment.

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