Top News

Bengaluru, May 15 (PTI) Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday charged the SIR of electoral rolls was being rolled out to "cut" SC, BC and minorities votes, and said the ruling Congress in the state will ensure that they are "protected".

Shivakumar, also the state Congress chief, said that the party is educating all its leaders regarding Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls.

The Election Commission of India on Thursday announced the rollout of phase-3 of the SIR in 16 states and three Union Territories involving 36.73 crore voters in a phased manner beginning May 30. Karnataka was also being covered.

"We know that (SIR being rolled out), we have got all information. We are educating all the party leaders. Across the party line -- let BJP and JD(S) also secure all their votes," Shivakumar said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "it's (SIR) aim is to see to that Scheduled Caste, backward class and the minority votes are cut. But we will see that it is protected. Every one born in India should have their right." "In Karnataka 88 to 90 per cent has been mapped (mapping of electors). But still we will try to educate all of them," he added.

Punjab, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Telangana are the opposition-ruled among the states where the SIR exercise will be held.

The final voters' roll of Karnataka will be out on October 7.

A section of leaders and organisations opposed to SIR had met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah last week and urged the government to take urgent steps to protect the voting rights of the state's electorate from the process.

They termed the Special Intensive Revision an "undemocratic and unscientific" process that "pushes out" voters. PTI KSU SA