Nearly 10,000 Voter ID Cards Seized From Bengaluru Flat; BJP & Congress Blame Each Other

Just three days before Karnataka election, 9,700 voter id cards were seized from an apartment in North Bengaluru on May 8, the Karnataka State Election Commission announced. The Election Commission also said that BJP’s demand for cancelling voting at the constituency is far-fetched and not possible.

“The flat (Flat no 115 SLV Parkview Apt, Jalahalli) belongs to one Ms Manjula Nanjamuri and was rented out to one Sri Rakesh. EPIC cards were kept neatly in small bundles wrapped in paper with some names and phones on paper. It is alleged that some more cards were there which are allegedly taken away by some of the occupants,” Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar said, as reported by The News Minute.

The Chief Electoral Officer also said that prima facie the cards seem to be genuine. Flying squad official Byre Gowda said “Whatever we have counted so far are valid IDs and are about 10 to 15 years old. We’ll check whether there are fake ones too.” Sanjiv Kumar further said “FIR has been registered and further investigations will be conducted. The situation is being closely monitored by the EC and appropriate action will be taken.”

On preliminary investigation these 9746 EPIC cards are of actual electors & appear to be prima facie genuine. However the significance of the counterfoils can only be verified after due investigation: Election Commission pic.twitter.com/SILPgmrjnf

— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2018

Five laptops and a printer were also discovered from the apartment. Also found were two large bags of counterfoils which seem like acknowledgement slips for the forms that add a voter’s name to the list. Although it was not of the same colour as used by the Election Commission. The ones that were found were pink.

In 2013 from Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency Congress’ Munirathna won the seat with a 37% vote. This year he is seeking a re-election and is against BJP’s Muniraju Gowda.

In Raj Rajeshwari Nagar constituency, there are 4,35,439 electors with EP ratio of 75.43. During last speacial summary revision 25,825 additions are there, 19,012additions were done during continuous updation. There have been total deletions of 8817 person: Election Commission pic.twitter.com/mEeKVQiDQi

— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2018

Yours or Mine?

With this late night discovery, both Congress and BJP started their blame game. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala explained that Manjula Nanjamuri, the flat owner, is a BJP leader and ex-corporator. “BJP enacted this drama in an apartment belonging to their own leader, Manjula Nanjamari. She has rented the apartment to her son who contested the 2015 BBMP Elections on a BJP ticket. Apartment was not raided by police or EC but by BJP workers,” said Surjewala.

"BJP enacted this drama in an apartment belonging to their own leader, Manjula Nanjamari. She has rented the apartment to her son who contested the 2015 BBMP Elections on a BJP ticket. Apartment was not raided by police or EC but by BJP workers": @rssurjewala #BJPDramaExposed pic.twitter.com/EAQ9hoxPmE

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018

"This is the BJP MLA candidate Muniraj Gowda with BJP leader Rakesh, in whose flat the voter IDs were recovered.

Election Commission has clearly said that Manjula Nanjamari had rented the flat to her son Rakesh. BJP's lies stand exposed": @rssurjewala #BJPDramaExposed pic.twitter.com/5N2WRNHJX9

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018

"This is the list of BJP candidates of BBMP Elections. On Sl. No 16 is the name Rakesh from Jalahalli ward. Is this not proof that Rakesh is in BJP?": @rssurjewala #BJPDramaExposed pic.twitter.com/IO1lLSxwIx

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) May 8, 2018

BJP was also quick to act and put the blame on Congress. BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said “Congress is losing public support and they are trying hard to rig the upcoming elections in Karnataka by undemocratic ways. So, we demand countermanding of polls in Raj Rajeshwari Nagar constituency.”

Close to 20,000 fake Voters ID card recovered from @INCIndia's Raja Rajeshwari Nagar constituency candidate Muniratna.

Anti democratic means of Congress to win loosing elections is nothing new. They are in practice right from Indira Gandhi's period! pic.twitter.com/RkgEmPXdIu

— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) May 8, 2018