📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Vyacheslav Argenberg
Politics
37 Karnataka Voters Claim Death in Form-7, 334 Pairs List Each Other as Deceased
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 19 Oct 2026, 09:15 AM
👁 10
In Karnataka, 37 voters have submitted Form‑7 stating they are dead, while 334 voter pairs have mutually declared each other deceased, prompting scrutiny by the State Election Commission.
The Karnataka State Election Commission (SEC) has received a batch of Form‑7 applications in which 37 registered voters have asserted that they are deceased. Form‑7 is the legal instrument used by voters to request removal of their names from the electoral roll on the grounds of death.
In a related anomaly, the SEC identified 334 pairs of voters who have each filed Form‑7 naming the other as dead. Such reciprocal declarations raise concerns about potential clerical errors, identity misuse, or coordinated attempts to manipulate voter lists.
Election officials have begun verifying the claims through local authorities and death certificates. The SEC has warned that any false declaration could attract legal action under the Representation of the People Act.
The unusual surge in death declarations comes ahead of upcoming local body elections, prompting the commission to tighten verification procedures to safeguard the integrity of the electoral roll.
Stakeholders, including political parties and civil‑society groups, are monitoring the situation closely, emphasizing the need for transparent and prompt resolution to maintain public confidence in the voting process.
In a related anomaly, the SEC identified 334 pairs of voters who have each filed Form‑7 naming the other as dead. Such reciprocal declarations raise concerns about potential clerical errors, identity misuse, or coordinated attempts to manipulate voter lists.
Election officials have begun verifying the claims through local authorities and death certificates. The SEC has warned that any false declaration could attract legal action under the Representation of the People Act.
The unusual surge in death declarations comes ahead of upcoming local body elections, prompting the commission to tighten verification procedures to safeguard the integrity of the electoral roll.
Stakeholders, including political parties and civil‑society groups, are monitoring the situation closely, emphasizing the need for transparent and prompt resolution to maintain public confidence in the voting process.