Karnataka forms SIT to probe 'deletion of votes' in Aland assembly seat

BENGALURU: Congress government in Karnataka Saturday constituted an SIT to probe allegations of large-scale deletion of voter names from the electoral rolls in Kalaburagi district 's Aland assembly constituency during the 2023 state election.

The SIT was formed after Aland Congress MLA B R Patil lodged a police complaint alleging that the names of 6,670 voters across 256 polling stations were unlawfully deleted. Verification by election officers revealed that applications were filed for deletion of 6,018 voters, but only 24 were genuine. The remaining 5,994 were allegedly filed using fake mobile numbers and without the knowledge of the voters concerned.

The SIT will be headed by ADGP (CID) B K Singh and will include SPs Saidulu Adavath and Shubhanwita.

The team has been given the power to probe all related cases across Karnataka, with assistance from the CID and local police. The move follows LS LoP Rahul Gandhi's claim that genuine voters in Aland were deliberately struck off the rolls.

"Somebody tried to delete 6,018 voters' names through software manipulation and fake applications targeting minorities," Rahul had alleged, adding: "Some force had hijacked the process and deleted the names."

Following Gandhi's charge, CM Siddaramaiah had also accused BJP of subverting democracy through systematic & centralised attempts at "vote chori". "The Aland case is not an isolated incident, but a window to a larger conspiracy to manipulate electoral rolls & deny citizens their right to vote."

"For 18 months, Karnataka CID had been repeatedly urging EC to share certain technical details, such as IP addresses, device ports, OTP trails. These are essential to identify from where the operation was being run and by whom. Yet, EC refused to share the data," he claimed.