Congress stopped SIR to protect fake voters, says Basavaraj Bommai

Congress leaders are trying to stop the Election Commission (EC) of India’s special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls only because they want to protect fake voters, Basavaraj Bommai, MP and BJP leader, said in Haveri on Sunday.

“For decades, Congress candidates have won elections by ensuring that fake voters cast their votes. There have been cases of one person voting at two places, using the names of deceased individuals to exercise their right to vote or pretending to be altered voters. But now they are facing problems as ECI is trying to clean the voter rolls with help from outside the SIR office. That’s why Shiva Chiefa Karkutaka staged a drama DKef All it is aimed at protecting his fake votes,” he told reporters.

“The SIR process was going on smoothly in the state. Initially we raised objections against the Congress members to fill the applications in the mosques, but the subsequent procedures were supposed to go smoothly. The draft voter list was supposed to be released on October 8. But now the Congress members are creating confusion by staging a protest outside the election office. This is nothing but a desperate attempt to stop Mr. SIR.

The former chief minister said that under the law, the state government has no direct power to file cases against the respondents under the SIR. “The EC officials have all the responsibility of preparing and updating the electoral rolls, but the chief minister has asked all BLAs to file FIRs against the respondents. This is not acceptable,” he said.

Responding to a question on AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, who demanded cancellation of all elections held after SIR, Mr. Bommai said Congress leaders were desperate as they had lost everywhere. “Instead of making silly excuses, they should think about why their side is losing,” he said.

Responding to a query on the demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar from his post, Mr. Bommai said that the Congress and its alliance partners could not digest the fast pace of development of the country. “They want to create unrest in the country by all possible means, which the people of the country will not pay attention to,” he said.

Published – 04 Oct 2026 19:11 IST