Media Release
Udupi, Oct 8: The Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh on Thursday submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner and District Electoral Officer Swaroop T K, urging the administration to prevent the misuse of Form-7 applications during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and ensure that the names of eligible voters are not deleted from the voters’ list.
The delegation expressed concern over reports and apprehensions regarding the alleged misuse of Form-7 applications, which are used to seek deletion of names from the electoral rolls. It said there were suspicions that such applications were being filed targeting minority communities, particularly Christians and Muslims.
The Catholic Sabha urged the district administration and election authorities to take stringent measures to prevent any misuse or injustice during the SIR process. It stressed that no eligible voter should be removed from the electoral roll based on false information, baseless objections or other unfair grounds.
The organisation also sought the public disclosure of the total number of Form-7 applications received in Udupi district so far, along with details of the applications approved and rejected.
It further requested clarification on whether mandatory notices are being served to voters before their names are deleted and whether they are being given adequate opportunity to file objections and present their case during the hearing process.
The delegation called for special attention to eligible voters belonging to minorities, Dalits and other vulnerable sections, stating that their names should not be removed from the electoral rolls on any unjustified grounds.
It said safeguarding the voting rights of eligible citizens and maintaining public confidence in the electoral process were important responsibilities of the election authorities.
The Catholic Sabha further urged the authorities to ensure complete transparency and fairness in the SIR process in Udupi district and take necessary preventive measures against the misuse of Form-7 applications. The memorandum also demanded that the SIR process itself be cancelled to put an end to the concerns and confusion surrounding it.
The delegation comprised Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh president Melwin Aranha Shirva, secretary Juliet D'Souza, treasurer Urban Lewis, designated president Louis D'Souza, Udupi zone president Kiran Lewis, former presidents Alphonse D'Costa, Valerian Fernandes and Mary D'Souza, community leaders Veronica Cornelio and Roshni Oliver, among others.