Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Monday said the state government was not opposed to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls but urged the Election Commission (EC) to respond to the Congress' objections before proceeding with the exercise.

 

With the SIR process scheduled to begin on Tuesday, Kharge said the Karnataka Cabinet had submitted eight objections to the Chief Election Commissioner, seeking clarity on issues including "logical discrepancy", issuance of legal notices, speaking orders and access to tribunals before voters' names were deleted from the electoral rolls.

 

"We are not saying that the SIR should not be conducted. Voter roll revision is compulsory, and it is the right of the Election Commission. More importantly, it is their responsibility to provide a clean and accurate voter list," Kharge told reporters.

 

He said the Congress had also submitted its objections to the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer but had not received any response.

 

Referring to the deletion of around 8.9 million voters elsewhere, he alleged that affected electors had not been given an opportunity to approach a tribunal before their names were removed.