Is DK Shivakumar beating EC's SIR in Karnataka?
Karnataka's government officials seem to be particularly busy with paperwork right now. While some are assisting the Election Commission of India (ECI) with the Special
Karnataka's government officials seem to be particularly busy with paperwork right now. While some are assisting the Election Commission of India (ECI) with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka, others are engaged in issuing multiple documents, as directed by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, that will help people prove that they are genuine residents of the state. There's a statewide initiative to issue Permanent Residence Certificates (PRCs) and caste certificates. The BJP and the JD(S), however, are alleging that the move is intended at protecting the Congress's "illegal vote bank" from the SIR exercise. Read Full Story On Monday, DK Shivakumar (DKS) launched what he described as a "historic campaign" to distribute PRCs and caste certificates through a door-to-door drive. The initiative is significant because the PRCs are among the documents accepted by the ECI for voter verification under the ongoing SIR exercise. The initiative has sparked a political battle, with the BJP accusing the Congress government of attempting to protect its "illegal voters" ahead of the electoral roll revision. "The Congress has a vote bank of infiltrators in the state, and the DK Shivakumar-led government is issuing PRCs for precisely that reason.
The Congress's infiltrated voters in the state are unable to prove their names in the electoral rolls, and that is why the government is helping them," Karnataka Legislative Council Leader of the Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy told India Today Digital on Tuesday. Calling the move "totally unconstitutional and illegal", Narayanaswamy alleged that the state government only has the authority to issue domicile certificates and not Permanent Residence Certificates. "We will fight against this. The state government has the right only to provide domicile details," he said. PRO-PEOPLE GOVERNMENT: CM DK SHIVAKUMAR DEFENDS THE PRCs ISSUING DRIVE CM Shivakumar defended the initiative, saying the Congress government was simplifying access to essential documents and reducing the need for citizens to visit multiple government offices. "This is a pro-people government. Your vote, your right; your vote, your life. Our government guarantees it," Shivakumar said on Monday, recalling a similar doorstep delivery initiative for RTCs (Record of Rights, Tenancy and Crops) during the tenure of former chief minister SM Krishna. Shivakumar said that around 4.85 crore digital caste certificates had already been shared with Deputy Commissioners for printing and doorstep distribution.
The BriefWire