Vijayapura: A report from electoral registration officials has added a new dimension to the controversy over the voter list revision exercise in Vijayapura, stating that eight death certificates displayed by BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal were genuine.
The issue began on September 30, when Yatnal alleged that the names of deceased people had been retained in the draft electoral roll prepared under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). He presented eight death certificates and called on the authorities to verify the entries.
The matter escalated on October 3, when eight individuals approached the Deputy Commissioner’s office, insisting that they were alive despite the death certificates being linked to their names. They questioned the MLA’s actions and sought action against him.
Congress leaders backed their claims and demanded an official inquiry. Congress leader Abdul Hameed Mushrif subsequently approached Vijayapura City Corporation Commissioner Vijayakumar Mekkalki, requesting verification of the documents.
Officials examined the certificates through the e-Janma database and reportedly confirmed that the documents were authentic. The electoral registration authorities clarified that the individuals who claimed to be alive were not the same persons named in the death certificates. Their names could consequently continue in the electoral roll.
The findings prompted a sharp response from Yatnal’s supporters, who accused Congress leaders of making allegations without establishing the facts.
Another issue has emerged involving Muneer Ahmed Shaikh, the father of Congress district general secretary Irfan Shaikh. Muneer Ahmed Shaikh reportedly died in 2025, but his name was found in the SIR draft roll. His son had also shared information about his father’s death on social media.
Yatnal’s supporters have questioned how the name entered the draft list and called for a detailed investigation by election authorities. The competing claims have placed Vijayapura’s electoral roll revision under scrutiny, with the controversy now extending beyond the original dispute over the eight death certificates.
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