84 lakh missing voters in Karnataka: BJP's Ashoka flags SIR data, alleges Bangladeshi infiltration
Synopsis
Karnataka's BJP opposition leader R. Ashoka has turned the SIR electoral roll exercise into a full-scale political offensive — alleging 84 lakh anomalies point to illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, attacking Congress on voter ID cards, Metro funding claims, and welfare delivery failures, all in a single press conference.
Key Takeaways
Ashoka , Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka , alleged the SIR exercise identified 84 lakh anomalous voter entries — 65 lakh who shifted residences and 19 lakh with no application.
Ashoka claimed the figures indicated the presence of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and alleged Congress had issued voter ID cards to them — an unverified allegation.
He said around 300 Bangladeshis were deported at a cost of ₹65 lakh , and five Pakistani nationals were arrested in Anekal , Bengaluru.
On the Bengaluru Metro , Ashoka challenged the Congress claim of an 84 per cent state share, asserting Centre and State each hold 20 per cent equity with the rest financed via centrally guaranteed loans.
He also alleged ₹5,000 crore in women's welfare commitments remained unpaid and that fair-price-shop rice was being diverted abroad.
The SIR exercise has been held nine times total; seven instances occurred under UPA rule, Ashoka noted, defending its legitimacy.
Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R. Ashoka, on Thursday, 12 November 2026, alleged that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls had flagged 84 lakh anomalies in the state — comprising 65 lakh people who had shifted residences and 19 lakh who had not submitted applications and were therefore unaccounted for. The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader claimed the figures pointed to the presence of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Karnataka.
Key Allegations at the Press Conference
Addressing reporters in Bengaluru, Ashoka alleged that Bangladeshi nationals had infiltrated the Congress party, using a pointed analogy: 'Just as ethanol is mixed with petrol, Bangladeshis have mixed with the Congress party,' he said. He further claimed that around 300 Bangladeshis had been deported by police on flights at a cost of ₹65 lakh, and cited the arrest of five Pakistani nationals in Anekal on the outskirts of Bengaluru as corroborating evidence.
Ashoka also alleged that three crore Bangladeshi and Pakistani citizens were present across India, claiming the SIR exercise had identified three crore missing people at the national level. He alleged Bangladeshis were among those involved in the Kogilu Cross incident in Bengaluru, with only five actual residents connected to the episode, and accused the Congress of having issued voter identity cards to such individuals. These are allegations made by the opposition and have not been independently verified.
BJP Defends the SIR Exercise
Pushing back against Congress's criticism of the electoral roll revision, Ashoka noted that the SIR exercise has been conducted nine times in total, and seven of those instances occurred when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power at the Centre. He questioned the credibility of Congress leaders to criticise the exercise, drawing a controversial reference to Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi's acquisition of Indian citizenship, alleging her name was added to the voter list only 15 years after she arrived in India following her marriage.
Bengaluru Metro Funding Row
Ashoka also turned his attention to a parallel controversy over the Bengaluru Metro project, challenging the state government's claim that Karnataka's share in the project was 84 per cent. He said both the Centre and the State each held a 20 per cent equity share, with the remaining funds raised through loans for which the Central government provided guarantees. He alleged the state government had not repaid the Metro loans, and demanded the government show where an 84 per cent contribution was reflected in the state budget. 'Do not weave a false story involving crows and sparrows in this matter,' he said.
He also questioned why the Centre was held responsible whenever Metro ticket fares were increased, if the state claimed to have borne the bulk of project expenditure. On the controversy surrounding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Metro inauguration programme, Ashoka suggested that if the state's contribution was indeed higher, it should invite Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi for the inauguration rather than the Prime Minister. He clarified that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had been invited to the PM's programme on grounds of protocol and security, adding that Shivakumar himself often cited his personal rapport with Modi.
Welfare and Agriculture Grievances
Ashoka accused the Congress government of diverting rice meant for distribution through fair price shops, alleging the grain was being sent abroad rather than reaching beneficiaries. He charged that the government had failed to distribute ₹5,000 crore in welfare commitments to women and that drought relief had not reached farmers. He demanded the government order an inquiry into the alleged diversion of rice and escalate the matter with the Centre, accusing it of indulging in low-level politics while neglecting genuine welfare concerns.
The Congress government in Karnataka is yet to formally respond to Thursday's allegations. As the SIR process continues to unfold, the electoral roll debate is likely to intensify ahead of local body elections.
Point of View
But attaching the Bangladeshi-immigration narrative to them — without documentary evidence — escalates a bureaucratic update into an identity-politics flashpoint. The Congress's own record of defending the SIR when it suited UPA-era voter registration drives makes this a genuinely two-edged debate. What is missing from both sides is an independent verification of the 84 lakh number and a transparent breakdown of how the SIR methodology distinguishes internal migrants — a large and entirely legitimate category — from alleged illegal entrants.
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a periodic exercise conducted by election authorities to update and clean up voter rolls by identifying residents who have relocated, died, or failed to file applications. According to BJP leader R. Ashoka, the latest SIR in Karnataka flagged 84 lakh such anomalies — 65 lakh who had shifted and 19 lakh who were unaccounted for.
What has BJP alleged about Bangladeshi immigrants and the voter list?
BJP's R. Ashoka has alleged, without citing independent evidence, that the 84 lakh missing entries in Karnataka's voter rolls indicate the presence of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, and that the Congress party had issued voter identity cards to some of them. He also claimed Bangladeshis were involved in the Kogilu Cross incident in Bengaluru.
What is the controversy over Bengaluru Metro's funding?
The Congress government has claimed Karnataka contributed 84 per cent to the Bengaluru Metro project, which Ashoka contested on Thursday. He said both the Centre and State each hold a 20 per cent equity share, with the remainder funded through loans backed by Central government guarantees, and alleged the state had not repaid those loans.
How many times has the SIR exercise been conducted, and was it used under previous governments?
According to Ashoka, the SIR has been conducted nine times in total, with seven of those instances occurring while the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power at the Centre. He cited this to counter Congress's criticism of the ongoing exercise.
What welfare allegations did BJP raise against the Karnataka government?
Ashoka alleged that rice meant for fair price shops was being diverted and exported, that drought relief had not reached farmers, and that ₹5,000 crore in welfare commitments to women remained unpaid. He demanded an inquiry and accused the Congress government of neglecting these issues while engaging in what he called low-level politics.
