Karnataka CM orders probe into voter data theft allegations

Bengaluru, November 17, 2022

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday announced that he would order a comprehensive probe into the alleged voters' data theft scandal and maintained that the Congress' demand for him to resign was "ridiculous".

Reacting to the party's allegations of stealing voters' data for political gains, Bommai said that Congress has gone bankrupt as far as ideas were concerned.

"Let the truth come out. I am handing over the case for a comprehensive probe. Right from the first direction of the Election Commission, everything will be probed," he said.

The Chief Minister said that the Election Commission gives responsibility to undertake a SVEEP (Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation) programme to local organisations and the BBMP.

In turn, they hand over the work to NGOs and this is not the first time that NGOs are given such work. It was also given during the tenure of Congress in 2018, he said.

Regarding the demands for his resignation, Bommai stated that if that was the case, the Congress Chief Ministers should have tendered their resignations thrice.

"This is a baseless allegation," he added.

Meanwhile, a Congress delegation met the Commissioner of Bengaluru Pratap Reddy and submitted a complaint against Bommai and others regarding the alleged scam.

The Congress has alleged that the ruling BJP government is stealing the data of voters and indulging in election fraud through a private agency.

The party accused Chief Minister Bommai, BBMP Special Commissioner Tushar Girinath and the Election Commission of operating as one team to steal voters' data.

It further charged that the BJP workers in the state have been roped in to manipulate electoral rolls.

The BJP workers have been hired on contract basis by a private agency, given identity cards by the authorities to carry out the fraud, according to the BJP.

IANS