Karnataka Launches SIT to Probe Claims of Voter Fraud in Aland

The Karnataka government has initiated a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate claims of voter fraud in the Aland constituency of Kalaburagi district during the 2023 Assembly elections. This decision comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged significant voter name deletions in the Aland constituency and accused the Chief Election Commissioner of shielding those responsible. The SIT will be headed by an Additional Director General of Police from the CID and will comprise two Superintendents of Police. The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed by Aland MLA B.R. Patil, who alleged the unlawful removal of 6,670 voters’ names from the voter list across 256 polling stations. The government order stated that subsequent verification found that of the 6,018 applications for deletion, only 24 were legitimate. The remaining 5,994 applications were purportedly submitted using different mobile numbers, without the consent of the voters, and with malicious intent. The SIT is empowered with police station authority under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and will investigate all relevant cases in Karnataka. Its report will be submitted to the appropriate courts and also to the state government.