BJP workers won't bow to FIR threats over Form-7: Vijayendra dares CM Shivakumar to prove charges or quit
Synopsis
Karnataka BJP chief B.Y. Vijayendra has turned the SIR voter-roll row into a direct resignation dare — telling CM Shivakumar to either table proof of a 50-lakh-voter deletion conspiracy or quit. With FIRs ordered, complaints spanning Bengaluru and Dakshina Kannada, and the Election Commission caught in the crossfire, the dispute has escalated well beyond a routine electoral housekeeping exercise.
Key Takeaways
Karnataka BJP President B.Y.
Vijayendra on 2 October declared that BJP workers will not be cowed by FIR threats over Form-7 applications in the SIR process.
Shivakumar had alleged a BJP-JD(S) conspiracy to delete 50 lakh minority and oppressed-community voters from Karnataka's rolls.
Following Shivakumar's dharna at the office of CEO V.
Anbukumar , the Chief Electoral Officer ordered criminal cases against bulk Form-7 submitters.
Vijayendra challenged Shivakumar to produce documentary evidence backing the conspiracy charge or resign as Chief Minister.
Electoral roll discrepancies have been reported in Mysuru's Narasimharaja constituency, parts of Bengaluru , and border areas of Dakshina Kannada .
Vijayendra alleged the controversy is being used to divert attention from issues including KPSC recruitment, contractor allegations, drought, and the state's fiscal stress.
Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Friday, 2 October fired back at Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row, asserting that BJP workers would not be intimidated by threats of FIRs for submitting Form-7 applications seeking deletion of names from electoral rolls. Vijayendra directly challenged Shivakumar to produce documentary evidence backing his conspiracy allegations — or step down as Chief Minister.
What Sparked the Confrontation
Chief Minister Shivakumar had alleged that the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) had conspired to strike off names of nearly 50 lakh voters belonging to minority and oppressed communities from Karnataka's electoral rolls. Shivakumar, along with cabinet colleagues, staged a dharna on Thursday outside the office of Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbukumar in Bengaluru. Following the protest, the CEO issued a written order directing officials to initiate criminal proceedings against individuals found submitting bulk Form-7 applications.
Vijayendra called that move an act of political pressure on an autonomous constitutional body. 'If anyone has submitted an application by providing false information, the Election Commission should verify it and initiate legal action. But the BJP will not tolerate threats of filing FIRs targeting its workers for political reasons,' he said.
BJP's Legal Defence Pledge
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Vijayendra was unequivocal: the party would contest every case in court. 'Even if a thousand FIRs are registered, there is no question of being afraid. We will fight such FIRs in court,' he said. He characterised the Chief Minister's conduct as an attempt to turn Karnataka into an 'FIR state' and insisted the BJP had both the legal strength and resolve to withstand the pressure.
Vijayendra also pointed out that complaints about discrepancies in electoral rolls had surfaced not only in Mysuru's Narasimharaja Assembly constituency but also across several Bengaluru constituencies and in border areas of Dakshina Kannada. He urged the Election Commission of India to examine all such complaints without partisan distinction.
Vijayendra's Counter-Allegations
Vijayendra demanded that Shivakumar and the Indian National Congress (Congress) clarify complaints against their own local workers and representatives in the SIR process before pointing fingers at the BJP. 'If anyone has violated the rules in the Form-7 or SIR process, whether they belong to the BJP, Congress, JD(S) or any other organisation, the Election Commission should take action according to law,' he said.
He also alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was 'threatening the Election Commission, an autonomous institution' — a charge made without specifying the instance. On Gandhi's electoral outlook, Vijayendra remarked that Gandhi 'appeared to be under the illusion that the Congress would come to power at the Centre after every election,' adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity was continuing to grow.
The Bigger Picture: A Distraction Allegation
Vijayendra alleged that Shivakumar was using the SIR controversy to deflect public attention from a clutch of governance challenges — including questions around Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment irregularities, allegations by contractors, drought conditions, and the state's fiscal position. 'At a time when the government should answer all these questions, staging a protest before the Election Commission and levelling allegations against the BJP is an attempt to divert public attention,' he alleged.
He called on the Chief Minister to cooperate with the Election Commission in ensuring a transparent electoral process rather than exerting political pressure on it. The SIR process, Vijayendra reiterated, was being conducted under the Commission's supervision, and every Form-7 application — irrespective of the submitting party — deserved impartial scrutiny. As the row deepens ahead of Karnataka's electoral cycle, the Election Commission's next move will be closely watched by all parties.
Point of View
Even if the underlying concern about bulk deletions warrants scrutiny. Vijayendra's resignation dare is largely rhetorical, but it shifts the burden of proof squarely onto the Congress government. The deeper risk is that both sides instrumentalise the Election Commission at precisely the moment Karnataka needs it to be seen as impartial — and that the genuine question of whether eligible voters were wrongly flagged for deletion gets buried under partisan noise.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SIR row in Karnataka?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) row is a dispute over bulk Form-7 applications seeking deletion of voter names from Karnataka's electoral rolls. CM Shivakumar alleged that the BJP and JD(S) conspired to remove around 50 lakh minority and oppressed-community voters, while the BJP has denied any wrongdoing and vowed to contest any FIRs in court.
What is a Form-7 application?
Form-7 is an official Election Commission form used to request the deletion of a voter's name from the electoral rolls, typically on grounds of death, permanent relocation, or duplicate entry. The current controversy centres on allegations that Form-7 applications were being submitted in bulk by political workers to target specific communities.
What action did the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer take?
Following CM Shivakumar's dharna outside his office, Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V. Anbukumar issued a written order directing officials to initiate criminal cases against individuals found to have submitted bulk Form-7 applications. The BJP has challenged the move as politically motivated.
Why did Vijayendra challenge Shivakumar to resign?
Vijayendra argued that a Chief Minister who publicly accuses a political party of conspiring to disenfranchise Dalits, backward classes, and minorities must back the charge with documentary evidence. He said that if Shivakumar cannot produce such documents, he has no moral basis to remain in office.
Which constituencies are at the centre of the electoral rolls dispute?
Complaints about discrepancies in electoral rolls have been reported from Mysuru's Narasimharaja Assembly constituency, several constituencies in Bengaluru, and border areas of Dakshina Kannada district. Vijayendra has urged the Election Commission to examine all complaints regardless of the party involved.
