SIR row: BJP's CT Ravi demands ECI case against CM Shivakumar over voter roll claims
Synopsis
The SIR electoral roll dispute in Karnataka has sharpened into a direct legal demand: BJP MLC CT Ravi wants the Election Commission to register a suo motu case against those making EVM allegations — and a separate legal action against CM Shivakumar for claiming 60-70 lakh voters were targeted for deletion, a figure the ECI itself has not corroborated.
Key Takeaways
Ravi demanded on 6 October 2026 that the Election Commission of India register a suo motu case over unsubstantiated EVM allegations.
Ravi sought legal action against CM D.K.
Shivakumar for allegedly claiming 60 lakh to 70 lakh voters from a particular community were targeted for deletion.
The Election Commission stated only 91,000 Form-7 applications had been received — a sharp contrast to Shivakumar's figures, according to Ravi.
Ravi alleged Congress carried out 'mass mapping' during the SIR exercise to include voters of its choice, and that BJP workers were facing retaliatory FIRs.
BJP demanded complainant identity protection, impartial review of all objections, and removal of ineligible voters from electoral rolls.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC and former national general secretary C.T. Ravi on Tuesday, 6 October 2026, demanded that the Election Commission of India (ECI) register a suo motu case against those making unsubstantiated allegations about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), and sought legal action against Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for allegedly making false claims about voter deletions during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Ravi made the demands at a press conference at the BJP state headquarters, Jagannatha Bhavan, in Bengaluru.
The Allegation at the Centre of the Row
Ravi accused Chief Minister Shivakumar — who holds a constitutional position — of claiming that the BJP had attempted to delete 60 lakh to 70 lakh voters belonging to a particular community from the electoral rolls. The BJP leader demanded accountability: 'A case should be registered against the Chief Minister for making such an allegation. If he cannot prove it, he should apologise publicly,' Ravi said.
He pointed to an apparent discrepancy in the numbers: while Shivakumar had cited 60 lakh to 70 lakh potential deletions, the Election Commission had stated that only 91,000 Form-7 applications had been received. Ravi alleged misuse of office and demanded the Chief Minister explain the gap.
EVM Tampering Claims Rejected
Ravi dismissed allegations of EVM tampering, arguing that such claims were self-defeating. He said that if voting machines had indeed been hacked, Shivakumar would not have become Chief Minister and the Indian National Congress would not have secured a majority in the Karnataka assembly. He also alleged that the Chief Minister had gone further by levelling allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and charged the Congress with insulting a constitutional institution.
BJP's Counter-Allegations on Voter Roll Manipulation
Ravi alleged that the Congress had conducted 'mass mapping' during the SIR exercise and conspired to include voters of its choice in the electoral rolls. He claimed the BJP had exposed this by filing complaints, and alleged that FIRs were now being registered against BJP workers in retaliation — citing complaints filed in what he described as fictitious names such as Yanka, Nani, and Sheena.
He also alleged that the number of Hindu voters whose names had been deleted was higher than reported, and accused the Congress of spreading false narratives around minority voter deletions. He invoked the Emergency period and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi to argue that the Congress had a pattern of opposing institutional processes.
BJP's Demands from the Election Commission
Ravi laid out a series of demands from the ECI: that all complaints be examined impartially, that ineligible voters be removed from the rolls, that the identity of complainants be kept confidential, and that those disclosing complainant identities face action. He maintained that the ECI is an autonomous constitutional institution and not an arm of the state government.
'When we follow the constitutional route, the Congress creates anarchy. If asking for an investigation is a crime, let the Congress say under which law it is a crime,' he said.
BJP state spokespersons Venkatesh Dodderi, M.D. Lakshminarayana, and Dattatreya were present at the press conference. The row signals a deepening political battle over the SIR process in Karnataka, with both parties set to escalate their positions before the Election Commission in the coming days.
Point of View
000 Form-7 count is a factual contradiction that neither side has yet resolved before a neutral arbiter, and that gap is doing a lot of political work. Ravi's demand for a suo motu ECI case is a tactical escalation: it shifts the onus to the Commission and frames the Congress as an opponent of institutional process rather than a watchdog of minority voter rights. The deeper concern is that both parties are weaponising the electoral roll revision — a routine, necessary exercise — for mobilisation, which risks eroding public confidence in a process that underpins democratic participation.
NationPress
6 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SIR row in Karnataka about?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka has sparked a political dispute between the BJP and the Congress. The BJP alleges the Congress manipulated the process to include ineligible voters, while the Congress, led by CM D.K. Shivakumar, has alleged that the BJP attempted to delete 60-70 lakh voters from a particular community — a claim the BJP denies and says contradicts Election Commission figures.
What did CT Ravi demand from the Election Commission?
BJP MLC C.T. Ravi demanded that the Election Commission register a suo motu case against those making false allegations about EVMs, and sought a separate legal case against CM Shivakumar for allegedly making unsubstantiated claims about voter deletions. He also demanded confidentiality for complainants and impartial review of all objections.
Why is the 91,000 Form-7 figure significant?
The Election Commission stated that only 91,000 Form-7 applications — used to seek deletion of voter names — had been received. This stands in sharp contrast to CM Shivakumar's claim that 60-70 lakh voters were targeted for deletion. Ravi cited this discrepancy to argue that the Chief Minister had made false statements and demanded an explanation.
What are the BJP's allegations against the Congress in the SIR process?
The BJP alleges that the Congress carried out 'mass mapping' during the SIR exercise to add voters of its choice to the electoral rolls. Ravi also claimed that after BJP filed complaints to expose this, the state government began registering FIRs against BJP workers using complaints filed under fictitious names.
What is the Election Commission's role in this dispute?
The Election Commission of India is conducting the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Ravi underscored that the ECI is an autonomous constitutional body — not subject to state government direction — and that it, not the Congress, holds the responsibility of verifying complaints and deciding on voter deletions.
