Bengaluru: The BJP has approached the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner seeking action over a protest led by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and his Cabinet colleagues at the State Chief Electoral Officer’s office in Bengaluru.
The delegation, headed by Leader of Opposition R Ashoka, accused the government of using the premises of a constitutional institution for a political protest and questioned whether the demonstration had received prior permission from the police authorities.
The protest was held amid a dispute over alleged misuse of Form 7 during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Shivakumar had demanded an investigation into allegations that bulk applications were being submitted to seek deletion of eligible voters. The Election Commission subsequently directed electoral registration officers across the state to take action against applicants who knowingly submit false declarations.
The BJP, however, objected to the location of the demonstration. It referred to Karnataka High Court directions governing protests in Bengaluru and alleged that the Chief Minister and ministers had violated the restrictions by staging the dharna at the election office rather than the designated protest venue.
The BJP asked the police commissioner to clarify who authorised the protest and whether any written permission was issued. If permission was granted, the party demanded that the document be made public.
The delegation also sought details of police action and security arrangements during the demonstration, along with CCTV footage of the incident. It questioned whether similar permission would be extended to opposition parties or members of the public seeking to protest at the election office.
The BJP demanded that the police examine the complaint and initiate appropriate proceedings if violations of court directions or other laws are established. The dispute comes as allegations over bulk Form 7 applications continue to generate a political confrontation in Karnataka.
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