Former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Monday, 5 October 2026, strongly condemned what he described as attempts to penalise individuals who have committed no wrongdoing in connection with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. In a coordinated political response, NDA partners — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) — announced they would lead a joint delegation to meet the Karnataka Governor on Tuesday to submit a formal memorandum.

Yediyurappa's Core Objection

Speaking in Kalaburagi, Yediyurappa acknowledged that genuine errors in the electoral roll revision exercise must be corrected and that those genuinely responsible for violations should face consequences. However, he drew a firm line against what he characterised as indiscriminate action.

'We have been saying for many days that if there is a mistake, let action be taken. But attempting to take action against those who have not committed any mistake is condemnable,' he said.

The veteran BJP leader maintained that the correct approach was targeted accountability, not a sweeping crackdown that ensnares party workers with no proven culpability in the SIR irregularities.

Attack on CM Shivakumar's Protest

Yediyurappa also took direct aim at Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who had staged a dharna in front of the State Election Commission over alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise. The former CM accused Shivakumar of attempting to intimidate government officials and misusing the authority of his office.

'Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, by staging a dharna and protest in front of the State Election Commission, has attempted to bring pressure on government officers. He has attempted to misuse his power,' Yediyurappa said.

He further alleged that the late-night nature of the protest was unprecedented and amounted to an attempt to threaten officials — a charge the ruling Indian National Congress (Congress) government has not directly addressed as of the filing of this report.

Opposition Leader Ashoka Raises the Stakes

Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R. Ashoka, escalated the rhetoric from Bengaluru, alleging that BJP and JD(S) workers were being arrested and detained at police stations for hours without justification.

'Police stations across Karnataka have been turned into Congress offices,' Ashoka alleged. He announced that the NDA delegation to the Governor would include Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and all senior party leaders, and would formally demand the dismissal of the state government — a demand that, while politically charged, would require constitutional grounds to act upon.

What the SIR Controversy Is About

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has become a flashpoint in Karnataka politics, with the ruling Congress alleging widespread irregularities in the exercise and the NDA opposition contending that corrective action is being misused to target rival party workers. The controversy carries significant stakes: electoral roll accuracy directly affects voter eligibility in a state with a history of close contests.

This is not the first time Karnataka has seen electoral roll disputes trigger political confrontations, but the combination of a Chief Minister's dharna at the Election Commission and a formal Governor's petition by the opposition marks a notable escalation. The Governor's response — and any constitutional ruling it may prompt — will be closely watched in the coming days.