Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, ministers meet civil society groups opposing SIR
The Cabinet ministers present at the meeting included Priyank Kharge, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Santosh Lad, Sharanprakash Patil, and H K Patil.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and other ministers meeting delegates of civil society groups. (Photo Credit: Special Arrangement) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and several other ministers Friday met a delegation of civil society groups calling for opposition to the holding of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.
The civil society groups in attendance included ‘My Vote, My Right’ – an umbrella body comprising members of All India Central Council of Trade Union, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (Ambedkarvada), National Federation for Indian Women, etc.
The Cabinet ministers present at the meeting included Priyank Kharge (Minister of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj), Lakshmi Hebbalkar (Minister of Women and Child Development), Santosh Lad (Minister of Labour), Sharanprakash Patil (Minister of Medical Education), and H K Patil (Minister of Law).
Apart from concerns raised by the other civil society groups in attendance, ‘My Vote, My Right’ had called for several steps from the government, including a resolution opposing the SIR in the Assembly, official submissions to the Election Commission highlighting legal violations on the part of the SIR, and assembling a legal team to prevent the SIR in Karnataka.
It also suggested that the state look at options to demand paper ballot elections, while also organising helpdesks at the ward and panchayat level before and after SIR to ensure voter access to documents and that no voter is left out.
Vinay Sreenivasa, one of the group’s representatives at the meeting, said, “It was a large civil society delegation of 30-35 people… from our side, we said that the Karnataka Government should take a lead, call the representatives of other states where SIR is going to happen, and brainstorm how to counter this.”
He added, “The mapping of voters is underway without any clear protocol or written instructions. What is the order on the basis of which this mapping is undertaken?… In that sense, it is completely arbitrary.”
‘My Vote, My Right’ said in a statement after the meeting, “Unfortunately, the discussion that followed only led to the foregrounding of some steps that the state government may take to minimise deletions.” It also noted that the chief minister had stated the issue would be discussed, after which the government would revert with its decisions.
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