Eshwarappa strongly defends SIR voter revision, criticises Congress objections, and urges public support for the process.
Shivamogga
Former Deputy Chief Minister K. S. Eshwarappa has strongly condemned the Congress party’s criticism of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list, stating that the exercise is a comprehensive process to prepare an accurate and authentic electoral roll.
Addressing a press conference in Shivamogga, Eshwarappa said that Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and Congress leaders calling SIR a “murder of democracy” reflected what he described as their misunderstanding of democratic processes. He alleged that the Congress is uncomfortable with measures aimed at ensuring transparency in voter registration.
He further claimed that the revision process would help eliminate duplicate and fraudulent entries in the voter list, including individuals allegedly registered in multiple places. According to him, this would ensure fairness in elections and strengthen the democratic system.
Eshwarappa also alleged that illegal immigrants and fake documentation cases could be better identified through the SIR exercise, adding that such issues had long influenced electoral outcomes. He said that opposition to the process stems from political concerns rather than genuine objections.
Responding to concerns raised by Congress leaders that the revision could lead to deletion of names of minorities and backward communities, Eshwarappa dismissed the claims, questioning how any genuine citizen could be removed if proper verification is conducted. He also accused Siddaramaiah of lacking understanding of electoral procedures and questioned Congress’ past handling of similar revisions when it was in power.
He noted that similar voter list revision exercises had been conducted nine times between 1951 and 2002, and questioned whether the Congress had misused them during its rule.
Calling for public vigilance, Eshwarappa urged citizens to report suspicious individuals in their locality and ensure proper documentation of tenants by landlords. He also announced that his organization would support the SIR process in Shivamogga by assisting Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in voter enumeration activities.
The press conference was attended by several local leaders, including Mohan Jadav, former mayor Suvarna Shankar, Balu, Shivaji, Rajanna, Kempamma and Kuberappa.