BENGALURU: The members Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Thursday demanded a First Information Report (FIR) be filed against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Chief Commissioner of Bengaluru Bruhat Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) among others over the alleged tampering voters list of Bengaluru city by a private entity Chilume Enterprises Private Limited.
Addressing a joint press conference here, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and others, questioned the Chief Minister as to “how a private entity Chilume Enterprises Private Limited, which claims to be an Election Management Company, was permitted to gather certain sensitive data from voters such as caste, religion, Aadhar number, phone number, voter id numbers among others in 28 Assembly seats of Bengaluru by posing as officers of the state government?”
Regarding the collection of sensitive data by Chilume, an NGO, the Congress leaders stated that "It to be a clear cut theft, breach of privacy and fraud played upon innocent voters?’
Suspecting a foul play, the Congress leaders wanted to know from Basavaraj Bommai as to “why was the Minister incharge, BBMP and Election Authority neither checked the antecedents nor got alerted by the Chilume to undertake such a voluminous and expensive work?”
Besides, being a voluminous work, the Congress leaders alleged that Chilume Private Limited did not charge a single penny and questioned the Chief Minister “Did it not raise an alarm on its mal-intent?”
The Congress leaders charged that Chilume Private Limited also uploaded the details gathered from voters on its private app-“Digital Sameeksha” which is supposedly used by political parties, elected representatives and aspirants and questioned the Chief Minister if a private entity upload personal data of voters."
On the alleged tampering of voter lists in Bengaluru, the Congress leaders asked for the resignation of Chief Minister or he be sacked over alleged conspiracy to deny the voter his right to cast vote.
The leaders also demanded an investigation under the supervision of Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court against the Chief Minister among others and that the investigation should take place within 30 days.
