BJP Alleges Karnataka Government Officer Was Attacked After Excluding Bangladesh, Pakistan Nationals From SIR List

Bengaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday alleged that a Karnataka government official was attacked after removing the names of alleged Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

According to BJP leaders, the official was allegedly assaulted after identifying and excluding individuals whom they claimed were ineligible to be included in the electoral rolls. The party described the incident as a serious attack on officials carrying out duties assigned as part of the Election Commission's voter verification exercise and demanded strict action against those responsible.

The allegation comes amid an escalating political confrontation over the SIR process in Karnataka. The BJP has repeatedly accused the ruling Congress government of failing to ensure that the revision exercise is conducted strictly in accordance with Election Commission guidelines. It has also alleged irregularities in the preparation and verification of electoral rolls.

The Congress government has rejected the BJP's accusations, maintaining that officials involved in the SIR exercise are functioning under the supervision of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and not under political direction. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has previously accused the BJP and JD(S) of politicising the voter verification process.

The SIR exercise, aimed at updating and verifying electoral rolls, has become a major political flashpoint in Karnataka. Opposition parties have raised concerns over alleged procedural lapses, while the state government has defended the exercise as a constitutional process being carried out in accordance with ECI guidelines.

At the time of writing, there was no official confirmation from the Karnataka Police or the Election Commission detailing the circumstances of the alleged attack or verifying the BJP's claims regarding the exclusion of Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals from the voter list.

The incident is expected to further intensify the political debate over voter roll verification, illegal immigration and electoral integrity as the SIR exercise progresses across Karnataka.