Kumaraswamy alleges massive scam in Ramanagara SIR electoral roll revision
Synopsis
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has released a purported video alleging that thousands of bogus voters — including, he claims, illegal Bangladeshi immigrants — are being enrolled in Ramanagara's electoral rolls under the Chief Minister's influence, demanding ECI intervention and the Deputy Commissioner's suspension. The allegations, unverified independently, escalate an already charged political confrontation over Karnataka's SIR exercise.
Key Takeaways
Kumaraswamy alleged a 'massive scam' in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Ramanagara district on 3 July 2025 .
He claimed thousands of people were gathered at a convention hall in Tippu Nagar instead of BLOs conducting door-to-door verification as mandated.
Kumaraswamy alleged that documents were being created for illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to fraudulently obtain voting rights — claims not independently verified.
He demanded the immediate suspension of the Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner and ECI intervention to halt the SIR process.
Kumaraswamy said he would submit video evidence to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Election Commission of India .
He accused Chief Minister D.K.
Shivakumar of misusing his office by allegedly linking voter enrolment to access to state welfare guarantee schemes.
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday, 3 July 2025, alleged a 'massive scam' in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Ramanagara district, Karnataka, claiming to have documented irregularities through video evidence. He called for the immediate suspension of the Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner and demanded that the Election Commission of India (ECI) intervene to halt the process.
Key Allegations at the Press Conference
Addressing an emergency press conference at the Janata Dal (Secular) state headquarters, JP Bhavan in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy alleged that the ruling Congress government was attempting to derail the SIR process across several parts of Karnataka, with Ramanagara cited as the most egregious example. He alleged that, using the direct influence of the Chief Minister, attempts were being made to create documents for 'thousands of bogus voters,' including, he claimed, illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
Displaying the purported video at the press conference, Kumaraswamy urged the ECI to step in immediately. 'Looking at these videos, one can understand where our democracy is heading. This is the kind of shameful act being carried out by a party that publicly displays the Constitution in one hand,' he alleged.
The 'SIR Fair' Claim
Kumaraswamy alleged that instead of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) conducting mandatory door-to-door verification, thousands of people had reportedly been gathered at a convention hall in Tippu Nagar in Ramanagara — under the alleged influence of the Chief Minister — to conduct what he described as an 'SIR fair.' He argued this violated the prescribed procedure for electoral roll revision.
He further alleged that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, whom he described as a threat to national security, were being systematically provided with documents to enable them to obtain voting rights. These claims have not been independently verified.
Accusations Against Chief Minister Shivakumar
Responding to recent public remarks by Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on the SIR exercise, Kumaraswamy accused him of misusing his office. He alleged that Shivakumar had effectively 'blackmailed' citizens by suggesting they would lose access to state guarantee scheme benefits if they were not enrolled in the voters' list — conduct he described as 'inappropriate for a Chief Minister.'
'The SIR process began from the Chief Minister's residence. As the Chief Minister, he should have appealed to people to cooperate with the process in accordance with official procedures,' Kumaraswamy said, adding that fear of losing welfare benefits was being weaponised to influence participation in the revision exercise.
Next Steps and Escalation
Kumaraswamy announced he would submit the video and other supporting evidence to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Election Commission of India. He urged the poll panel to immediately suspend the ongoing SIR process in Ramanagara and take punitive action against officials allegedly responsible for the irregularities. This comes amid a broader political battle between the ruling Congress and opposition parties over the conduct of the SIR exercise across Karnataka.
Point of View
And the absence of independent verification makes them difficult to evaluate. What is verifiable is the procedural question: if BLOs were bypassed in favour of mass gatherings, that is a legitimate ECI concern regardless of motive. The real test is whether the ECI acts on the complaint or treats it as routine opposition noise ahead of what promises to be a contentious electoral cycle.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls?
The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an Election Commission of India-mandated process to update and clean up electoral rolls, typically involving door-to-door verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). It is used to add eligible new voters, remove duplicates, and correct errors in constituency-level voter lists.
What exactly did Kumaraswamy allege about Ramanagara?
Kumaraswamy alleged that the mandated BLO door-to-door verification was bypassed and thousands of people were instead gathered at a convention hall in Tippu Nagar, Ramanagara, under the Chief Minister's alleged influence. He also claimed documents were being fraudulently created for illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to obtain voting rights — allegations that have not been independently verified.
What action has Kumaraswamy demanded?
He has demanded the immediate suspension of the Ramanagara Deputy Commissioner, an ECI order to halt the ongoing SIR process in the district, and punitive action against officials allegedly responsible for the irregularities. He also said he would submit video evidence to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Election Commission of India.
What is the allegation against Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar?
Kumaraswamy accused Shivakumar of misusing his office by allegedly suggesting that citizens who were not enrolled in the voters' list would lose access to state government guarantee scheme benefits. He described this as 'blackmail' and conduct unbecoming of a Chief Minister.
Has the Congress or the Karnataka government responded to these allegations?
The source does not include a direct response from the Congress party or the Karnataka government to Kumaraswamy's specific allegations at this press conference. Chief Minister Shivakumar had previously made public remarks on the SIR exercise, which Kumaraswamy was responding to, but no rebuttal to Thursday's charges has been reported yet.
