Prakash Raj Claims His Voting Right Deleted Amid Karnataka SIR Exercise

Bengaluru has emerged as the biggest concern in Karnataka’s ongoing SIR of electoral rolls, with nearly half of the city’s electors currently falling under the ASDDO (Absent, Shifted, Duplicate, Dead and Others) category during the house-to-house enumeration process.

“Dear friends, saathiyon, I want to share a joke with you, I am one of the 65 lakh voters whose voter right has been deleted from Bangalore constituency after SIR, nice joke, no. I was born in this constituency, I lived in this constituency, I had my schooling, college, theatre and for your kind information I was an MP candidate of this constituency, too. Well the joke is nice. Game on,” the 61-year-old actor said in a video message on Instagram.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Prakash Raj contested as an Independent candidate from Bangalore Central constituency.

Last month, Prakash Raj secured conditional bail after a city court in Bengaluru issued a non-bailable warrant against him in connection with a case alleging that he possessed multiple voter ID cards.

The complainant had alleged that the actor possessed four voter ID cards, one each in Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, running afoul of the Election Commission’s rule permitting only one voter ID per person.

“Let me see what is the process I have to go through, kya kya kagaz dikhana padega (what all papers I have to show) to get back my voter ID,” he said, likely referencing the protests during the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Screenwriter-lyricist Varun Grover’s protest poem “Hum Kaagaz Nahin Dikhayenge” became an anthem of resistance during the protests against CAA-NRC in 2019.

“Well game on but one little word, my friend, you can use your powers to deny a few of the citizens the right to vote who may not elect you but can you stop us. My dear friend, from our power, we are bringing you down. Just asking. Bye,” Prakash Raj said, signing off.

The poll body has extended the deadline for SIR of the electoral rolls in Karnataka, with the enumeration phase now ending on August 17.

As per the new schedule for the SIR exercise in the state, the draft voter lists will be published on August 24. The period for filing claims and objections will be from August 24 to September 23. The notice phase, for disposal of claims and objections, will begin on August 24 and will go on till October 22. The final electoral rolls will be published on October 27.

According to a press release from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Karnataka, 1,09,83,901, or 19.81 per cent, of the 5,54,32,314 electors have been found absent, shifted, duplicate, dead or others (ASDDO).

The highest number of ASDDO cases were found in Bengaluru Urban, which recorded 17,74,626, or 44.13 per cent, of the total 40,21,039 electors as of pre-SIR.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) South recorded 10,87,829 ASDDO cases, accounting for 50.72 per cent of its 21,44,784 electors.

With the enumeration process continuing until August 17 and the draft electoral rolls scheduled for publication on August 24, Prakash Raj’s claim comes amid heightened scrutiny of the voter roll revision in Bengaluru and the large number of electors placed in the ASDDO category.