Belagavi election officer orders probe into bulk voter objections

Belagavi District Election Officer and Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan has ordered an inquiry into allegations that some BJP leaders attempted to file bulk objections against eligible voters in the city. The Elector Registration Officer (ERO) will conduct the probe and submit a report, he said, adding that action would follow against anyone found to have violated the rules.

The decision came after Congress leaders alleged on Wednesday that BJP leader Ravi Patil and others were behind third-party objections filed in bulk against the inclusion of names of Muslim voters in Veerabhadra Nagar. Youth Congress leader Aman Sait claimed that staff from a hospital run by Patil were used to fudge documents and impersonate Belagavi city corporation officials.

Roshan held a meeting with representatives of political parties following the allegations. He said the parties were reminded that the Election Commission of India has laid down guidelines and safeguards to protect the rights of eligible voters, and that the matter was resolved once they understood the rules.

Outlining the procedure, the Deputy Commissioner said there is nothing improper in filing objections during a review period, provided the ECI's safeguards are followed. The Commission has barred frivolous and false objections. Those who file frivolous objections in bulk are warned against repeating the practice, while in cases of knowingly false objections the ERO can register an FIR under Section 31 of the Representation of the People's Act. Limits apply to bulk objections filed by voters and Booth Level Agents (BLAs).

When an objection is filed under Form 7, the burden of proof rests on the objector, who must submit evidence for the claims. If objections at a booth exceed two per cent of voters, the ERO must hold an inquiry and report to the DEO, Roshan said.

He added that a Booth Level Officer cannot accept bulk objections from any person; such submissions must be scrutinised at the level of the ERO or Assistant ERO. A BLA may collect and submit up to ten objections a day. Deleting a name is not a simple process, requiring a seven-day notice to both the objector and the voter along with a ground-level inquiry by the ERO. No deletions were made on the basis of the bulk objections filed on Wednesday, he said.

In Wednesday's incident, the BLO lacked the authority to receive the bulk objections and was unaware of the rules, which led to the confusion, Roshan said. The ERO, after going through all the objections, found they were not backed by supporting documents, and the issue was settled at the stage of the preliminary inquiry.