Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) C.T. Ravi on Friday, 2 October challenged the Congress to explain its resistance to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka, alleging that the ruling party was mounting politically motivated attacks against a constitutionally sanctioned process. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Ravi argued that the SIR was a routine, legally grounded exercise and that objecting to it served narrow electoral interests.

Ravi's Core Challenge to Congress

Ravi pointed out that the SIR had reportedly been conducted 12 times across the country and was not initiated under a BJP government. 'Why is Congress afraid of SIR despite the process having been conducted several times?' he asked. He maintained that names could lawfully be removed from electoral rolls only for specific reasons — the voter being deceased, having shifted residence, or being registered at more than one location — and that the exercise was being carried out under constitutional and electoral provisions.

He further alleged that the Congress had considered the SIR acceptable during the tenures of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi, but now found it unacceptable solely because the BJP was the principal challenger. Critics of the SIR, however, argue that the timing and manner of the revision raise legitimate concerns about voter deletions affecting marginalised communities.

Illegal Immigration Allegations and the SIT Demand

Ravi escalated the political stakes by alleging that large numbers of illegal immigrants, including alleged Bangladeshi nationals, were living in Bengaluru and other Karnataka cities, and that thousands more were reportedly present in coffee estates in Chikkamagaluru and Madikeri districts. He accused the Congress-led state government of failing to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe reports of such individuals working in municipal corporations in Bengaluru.

He alleged that these immigrants were taking employment opportunities from Indian citizens and claimed that attempts to include them in electoral rolls would 'undermine democracy.' He urged the state government to launch a special investigation into illegal immigration and cautioned against what he described as compromising internal security for political gain.

On the SIR Process and State Government's Role

Ravi was emphatic that the SIR was not being driven by central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). 'Nearly 99 per cent of the work is being carried out by officials of departments under the state government,' he said, including personnel from the Revenue and Education Departments. He added that if anything went wrong, the responsibility would rest with the state government.

He also rejected Congress claims that BJP representatives had submitted hundreds of objections simultaneously, stating that Booth Level Agents could file only the number of objections permitted in a single day. He reiterated that the submission of an objection did not automatically result in deletion — final verification rested with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) — and appealed to officials involved in the SIR not to be intimidated by alleged threats.

EVM Row and Counter-Allegations

Ravi also targeted Congress leaders — including Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and Karnataka Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar — over allegations concerning Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). He argued that if EVMs could indeed be hacked, Congress would not have won power in Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, or Himachal Pradesh. He also noted that leaders such as Priyank Kharge and Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law would not have won their respective seats. He demanded that those making what he described as 'false allegations' against EVMs publicly apologise.

Political Context and What Comes Next

This comes amid heightened political friction in Karnataka over the SIR, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's government reportedly staging a protest at the Election Commission office — a move Ravi characterised as an attempt to deflect attention from allegations against the administration rather than address pressing issues such as drought. Ravi urged the Chief Election Commissioner to direct Returning Officers and Assistant Returning Officers to verify all objections thoroughly.

The BJP has indicated it will file complaints wherever irregularities are identified, keeping pressure on the state government as the SIR process continues toward its conclusion.