Ashok accuses State Election Commission of printing 90 lakh voter cards after announcement of SIR; SEC denies charge

A file photo of R. Ashok, Leader of the Opposition in Legislative Assembly

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok has accused the State Election Commission (SEC) of violating norms to facilitate irregularities in the proposed GBA polls by printing 90 lakh voters’ identity cards in Bengaluru at a cost of ₹20 crore after the announcement of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) by the Election Commission of India.

Alleging that the Congress government was involved in these irregularities, Mr. Ashok demanded a CBI probe into the episode.

However, the SEC strongly denied these allegations by stating that the tenders had been floated before the announcement of SIR and that it had acted within its legal mandate.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Mr. Ashok alleged that the SEC had printed 90 lakh cards, though the total number of voters in Bengaluru had been pegged at around 59 lakh after the SIR. Pointing out that the SEC was now left with an additional 31 lakh voters identity cards, he described these additional cards as “bogus” and alleged that they would be used for “vote theft”.

He alleged that the Congress government had got this done to commit irregularities in the proposed election to GBA. “The State Election Commission did this though it had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that elections to local bodies would be held only after the SIR and after the new voters’ list is prepared,“ he said.

Denying the allegations, SEC Secretary Amaresh H. said the tender was called before the SIR was announced. Mr. Amaresh said the tender was issued under Rule 26 of the Greater Bengaluru Governance (Registration of Electors) Rules, 2025, which provides for the printing of voter identity cards.

He said the SEC had acted within its legal mandate and that the SIR did not require it to suspend its work relating to local body electoral processes.

“The SIR is not binding on the State Election Commission in the manner being suggested. Local body elections and elections conducted by the Election Commission of India are governed by different frameworks,” he said. He added the decision to print the cards was also intended to address impersonation, particularly in densely populated urban areas.