The women claim that living voters were shown as “dead”; seek criminal proceedings against Yatnal

Muslim women from Vijayapur at a press conference of socio-political organization Jagrutha Karnataka in Bengaluru on Wednesday. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Eight Muslim women from Vijayapura have alleged that they were wrongly listed as “deceased” in documents submitted to the Election Commission of India (ECI). They demanded that a criminal case be registered against Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, expelled from the BJP, and those responsible for submitting the alleged fake death certificates.

The women made the allegations at a press conference of Jagrutha Karnataka, a socio-political organisation, here on Wednesday. They also showed copies of death certificates and other documents, which they claimed were used to show them as dead.

Representatives of the organization claimed that Mr. Yatnal submitted the list in a letter dated August 31, a week after the draft electoral rolls were published on August 24. The organization questioned how the names of voters in 198 polling stations could be matched with the details of deceased persons in such a short period of time.

It also questioned how the color photographs were obtained from the voter ID cards attached to the list, claiming that such photographs were available in ECI records.

“Dead” women

Raziya Sheikh, an anganwadi helper and a resident of Vijayapura city for almost 30 years, said she is illiterate and works to support her family. “A certificate has been submitted that I am dead. I am afraid I may lose my ration card and other government benefits,” she said.

Mrs. Raziya Sheikh and seven other Muslim women living in Vijayapur were shown as “deceased”. Speaking on behalf of the other women, Mahaboobi Sheikh and Malani Jamadar urged the ECI to register an FIR against the officials who allegedly issued the fake death certificates and those who submitted them to the Commission.

The women alleged that an attempt was made to deprive them of their right to vote because they were Muslim.

Criminal prosecution is being sought

Jagrutha Karnataka convener HV Vasu claimed that Mr. Yatnal submitted a list of 1,054 persons but death certificates were attached only in eight cases.

According to Mr. Vasu, discrepancies in names and names of husbands or fathers in the documents resulted in living persons like Ms. Jamadar, Ms. Mahaboobi Sheikh and Ms. Raziya Sheikh being shown as dead.

Mr. Vasu also alleged that the election officials acted quickly after the MLA sent his letter demanding that a criminal case be registered against Mr. Yatnal.

Eligibility for applications through Form 7

Irfan Sheikh, a local journalist from Vijayapura, claimed that a total of 13,000 hard copy Form 7 applications were submitted to the municipal authorities in two batches of 5,000 and 8,000.

He claimed that the applications were withdrawn the same evening after ECI sought confirmation regarding its own statement accompanying the applications. He claimed the recall was an effort to prevent alleged irregularities from coming to light.

Published – 7 Oct 2026 21:51 IST