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Karnataka High Court Stays Probe into Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Booth Agents Over Alleged Form-7 Fraud
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Court Stays Investigation into BJP Booth Agents
The Karnataka High Court issued an interim order staying further investigation into two criminal cases registered against BJP Booth Level Agents (BLAs) G.S. Vasanthalakshmi and Deepak Singh R. The stay was granted after petitions filed by the BLAs themselves. The court also issued notice to the state government and to the complainant, Congress leader Anoop Iyengar, directing both parties to file statements of objections and scheduling a hearing for the following month.
Legal Context and Electoral Roll Revision
Form 7 applications allow electors to request deletion of their own name or to object to another voter’s entry on the electoral roll. The applications in question were submitted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the rolls in Bengaluru’s Malleswaram Assembly constituency. The petitioners argue that the offences alleged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) are barred by Section 215(1)(a) of the same code, which requires a written complaint from the Electoral Registration Officer rather than a private political rival. They further contend that filing bulk Form 7 objections is permissible under Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines for BLAs.
Key Figures and Allegations
- Anoop Iyengar – Congress candidate for Malleswaram in the 2023 Assembly elections; lodged the complaint that triggered the FIRs.
- G.S. Vasanthalakshmi – Accused of submitting 778 Form 7 objections across eight parts of Ward No 64, marking voters as “absent” or “permanently shifted.”
- Deepak Singh R. – Accused of submitting 136 Form 7 objections in Ward No 45 with similar markings.
The complaint alleges signature variations suggesting forgery or impersonation and claims the BLAs conspired to disenfranchise minority voters. The BLAs deny forging signatures, stating the forms bear their authentic signatures.
Official Responses and Court Orders
Senior Advocate Arun Shyam, representing the BLAs, argued that the agents are authorized to file Form 7 and that the pending offence is premature. The state public prosecutor and the complainant’s counsel countered that impersonation occurred and that the bulk submissions exceeded limits prescribed by the ECI. The High Court’s stay reflects the court’s view that the legal questions raised by the petitioners merit further examination before any investigation proceeds.
Data on Form-7 Submissions
- 778 Form 7 objections linked to Vasanthalakshmi.
- 136 Form 7 objections linked to Singh.
- Police have registered multiple cases since September 30 against BLAs for similar mass Form-7 filings in constituencies such as Bhalki, Bableshwar, Belgaum Uttar, and Ballari, indicating a broader pattern of scrutiny over bulk electoral roll deletions.