16 days more to submit SIR forms in state

BENGALURU: With the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls set to conclude on July 29, only 16 days remain to submit the filled SIR applications. Applications filled and returned by 1.19 crore voters have been digitised.

So far in the state, 5.4 crore enumeration forms have been distributed among the 5.50 crore voters and forms are yet to be distributed to around 45 lakh people. This means 91 per cent of voters have been reached through door-to-door form distribution. So far, 1.58 lakh voters have been found to be deceased.

Meanwhile, on the pretext of distributing forms and getting them filled, private individuals are making money. As soon as the Public TV camera arrived, a photocopy shop locked the door and were left confused.

Several confusions and lapses continue in the SIR process in Bengaluru. In Manjunath Nagar of Rajajinagar Assembly constituency, it has been alleged that a private individual at his photocopy centre is collecting Rs 40 from each person to fill the SIR form. While the form-filling work was going on inside the photocopy shop, a booth-level officer (BLO), was seen standing outside the shop with forms, along with the shop owner. This has raised several suspicions.

It is alleged that the BLA-1 and BLA-2 go door to door, hand over the SIR forms, and later call people to the photocopy shop to get the forms filled, collecting between Rs 40 to Rs 100 per person. However, the staff at the shop have rejected these allegations.