'Stop Playing Politics': Shivakumar Rejects Interference Charge, Hits Back at Opposition

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday rejected charges that the state government was meddling in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voting records.

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Jul 7, 2026 - 02:44

'Stop Playing Politics': Shivakumar Rejects Interference Charge, Hits Back at Opposition

Opposition dismisses Shivakumar’s charges

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday rejected charges that the state government was meddling in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voting records. Shivakumar said the Election Commission was conducting the voter verification process independently and not on the instructions of the state government, countering criticism from opposition parties. He said the opposition was trying to create a “baseless controversy” over a constitutional process.

The Election Commission is autonomous.

The Election Commission is an independent constitutional body and the government has no control over its decisions or functioning,” Shivakumar told reporters. The SIR operation was meant for removing duplicate, moved or ineligible names in order to have accurate and clean electoral records, he said. He said all eligible voters would be able to confirm and update their information in line with the guidelines.

The opposition claims it is motivated by politics.

Opposition has alleged the voter roll revision could be used to target specific voter groupings ahead of the upcoming elections. The leaders have demanded more openness in the process and have accused the government of trying to rig it for political purposes. However, Shivakumar denied the allegations and said the opposition was trying to fool the public and not allowing the constitutional process to go on without any disturbance.

The Special Intensive Revision debate has fed the growing political conflict in Karnataka. With the upcoming elections, both the ruling Congress and the opposition are expected to intensify their campaigns on issues of governance and electoral transparency. Election officials have reaffirmed that the revision process is being conducted in accordance with established protocols and urged residents to assist by confirming their voter information within the allotted time frames.

As the Election Commission moves forward with the revision process, the SIR debate is expected to continue to be a significant political issue, with both sides likely to continue using derogatory language.