Archive · 2 Oct 2026
Karnataka BJP Leader Booked Over Alleged Voter Deletion Attempt
Police in Karnataka have registered cases about alleged attempts to remove some Muslim voters from voter lists.
One case involves BJP leader Ravi Patil and 20 to 25 others in Belagavi.
The complaint says they used fake forms and documents to challenge the names of 198 voters.
The people making the complaints say some names belonged to them and their families.
Another complaint in Bidar concerns 3,244 voters who were allegedly wrongly marked as having moved away or being absent.
In Mysuru, a similar complaint involved one family and 28 other voters.
The complaints say the forms contained false information and forged signatures.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and other leaders protested and demanded an investigation.
Police say the cases are being investigated, and the allegations have not yet been proven in court.
Police booked BJP leader Ravi Patil and others over an alleged attempt to delete 198 Muslim voters from Belagavi electoral rolls.
The complaint alleges fake Form-7 applications, forged documents, false information and pressure on a Booth Level Officer.
A separate Bidar FIR concerns allegations that 3,244 voters were falsely marked as shifted or absent.
A Mysuru complaint alleges similar applications targeted a social worker, his family and 28 other voters.
Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and other Congress leaders staged a sit-in demanding action over alleged electoral fraud.
- Who
- BJP leader Ravi Patil, named associates and others were accused in Belagavi; complaints in Bidar and Mysuru named additional accused. Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and other leaders demanded action.
- What
- FIRs were registered over alleged attempts to delete voters from electoral rolls through fraudulent Form-7 applications, forged documents and false information.
- When
- The Belagavi incident was alleged to have occurred on September 22; its FIR was registered on September 30. The Bidar FIR was registered on October 1, while the Mysuru case was also reported during the ongoing SIR process.
- Where
- Belagavi, Bidar and Mysuru in Karnataka, India.
- Why
- The complainants allege that the applications were intended to remove legally enrolled voters, particularly members of the Muslim community, from the electoral rolls.
Complainants and Government Leaders
Accused and Legal Status
Alleged targeting of Muslim voters
Complainants and Government Leaders
The complainants allege that Form-7 applications and false documents were used to target Muslim voters and remove their names from the rolls.
Accused and Legal Status
The articles do not report a response or denial from Ravi Patil or the other accused; police investigations are ongoing and the allegations have not been established in court.
Political response
Complainants and Government Leaders
D K Shivakumar, cabinet colleagues and MLAs demanded an FIR and described the issue as alleged electoral fraud.
Accused and Legal Status
The reported cases are based on complaints and allegations, with no final investigative or judicial finding cited in the articles.
- Belagavi voters targeted
- 198 voters were allegedly targeted through Form-7 applications.
- Belagavi accused
- Ravi Patil, Shankar Beerappa Naik, Pashant Deepak Mundinmani and 20 to 25 others were named in the complaint.
- Bidar voters affected
- The complaint alleged that 3,244 voters were falsely shown as shifted or absent.
- Bidar accused
- An FIR named 32 accused persons.
- Mysuru allegation
- The complaint concerned the complainant, his family and 28 other voters.
- Relevant form
- Form-7 is used to object to the proposed inclusion or deletion of a name from an existing electoral roll.
- Legal provisions
- The Belagavi FIR cites Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions concerning cheating, forgery, public mischief, conspiracy, provocation and unlawful assembly.
