Belagavi: Congress workers on Thursday lodged a complaint seeking legal action against Belagavi South MLA Abhay Patil, alleging that he had recommended the verification and deletion of 2,598 voters described as “bogus” from the electoral rolls.
Patil, in a letter dated Sept 19, had urged authorities to verify the details of the 2,598 voters and delete their names if they were found to be ineligible, according to the complaint filed at Shahapur police station. The complainants also alleged that Form 7, which is used to seek deletion of names from electoral rolls, was misused and that applications were submitted to the office of the city corporation commissioner seeking the removal of voters’ names. The complaint further alleged that the 2,598 voters were falsely portrayed as being of Bangladeshi, Pakistani or Rohingya origin, and that baseless allegations were levelled against them.
They claimed that the move amounted to interference in the electoral process. Such claims could create fear aamong the public and potentially affect the voting rights of members of a particular community, the complainants alleged. Congress city unit president Rajasalim Kashimanavar, party leaders Pradeep MJ, Anant Byakud, Manjunath and Prabhavati Chavadi, among others, were present when the complaint was submitted.