Karnataka HC stays probe of FIR against two BJP agents at booth level in Form 7 row

The Karnataka High Court on Friday stayed the investigation into two First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against two BJP’s Booth Level Agents (BLAs) on a complaint filed by a Congress leader who alleged that the BLAs had submitted several false out of 7 applications to delete eligible voters from electoral rolls in the ongoing Special Assembly Constituency (SIR) of Malleswaram.

BLAs Petition

Justice Anant Ramanath Hegde passed an interim order on petitions filed by BLA GS Vasanthalakshmi and Deepak Singh R, against whom separate FIRs were registered by the Vyalikaval and Yashwanthpur police on a complaint filed by Anoop Iyengar, who was the Congress candidate for Malleswaram in the 2023 assembly polls. The complaint stated that Ms. Vasanthalakshmi and Mr. Singh had 778 and 136 objection in Form 7 falsely alleging voters who stated that they were either shifted or absent.

The complaint alleged signature variations on the forms indicating forgery or impersonation and accused Mr. Singh and Ms. Vasanthalakshmi of conspiring to disenfranchise minority voters.

Forgery denied

The petitioners-BLA, however, denied forgery, confirming that the forms bore their signature and pointing out that Election Commission of India guidelines allow BLA to file Form 7 objections en masse.

The petitions contended that the offense under Section 217(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) is excluded under Section 215(1)(a) of the BNSS, which requires a written complaint from the public servant concerned, the Electoral Registration Officer, and not from a private political opponent.

An FIR registered on the basis of a complainant by an individual is not maintainable in law as stated in the petitions.

Pointing out that filing objections through Form 7 is an exercise under the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and violation of its provisions is an offence, the petitioners argued that an FIR filed merely invoking the provisions of the BNS is unsustainable.

Published – 10 Oct 2026 0:23 IST