BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday alleged that there were "conspiracies" going on to delete a large number of votes by individuals who are filing multiple applications to erase names from the electoral roll under the ongoing SIR in the state.

He also called SIR a "big fraud." Addressing a press conference here, he accused the BJP of involved in this conspiracy to delete "minorities, Dalits and ST voters" from the electoral roll.

Shivakumar threatened that he would sit at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer V Anbukkumar until an inquiry is ordered into the matter. He also asked the Election Commission to file FIR on "vote theft" and electoral offence.

"There are many instances of individuals filing multiple applications in different names for deleting voters. Minorities, Dalits, tribals are being targeted to remove their names from electoral roll under Special Intensive Revision," Shivakumar claimed.

According to him, applications have been filed to delete 45 lakh votes. He claimed that 14,000 applications have been filed in Vijayapura alone to delete votes as part of ongoing SIR.

There was bulk filing of form 7 on Sep 22, 23, 24 to delete minority, Dalit, ST votes, the chief minister, a senior Congress leader, alleged.

Those filing Form 7 to delete voters on others' behalf aren't Booth Level Agents but BJP workers, he claimed. "I will sit at the office of the CEO and won't come back till inquiry ordered though there is cabinet meeting today," he said.

Shivakumar also said there are many FIRs in Belagavi, Bhalki, Mysuru and other places against 'illegal' deletion of names from voter list, "There is a big conspiracy by BJP and JD(S) to delete 50-60 lakh voters. BJP has printed large numbers of Form-7 to exclude votes," he charged.

Earlier, he called for a comprehensive investigation, including a criminal probe, into the alleged misuse of Form 7 to seek deletion of voters' names from electoral rolls during the ongoing SIR exercise.

In a video message, he alleged that BJP leaders and workers were submitting Form 7 applications, purportedly at the direction of party leaders, to seek deletion of names of minorities, poor people and Dalits.

He said several Congress leaders had provided documents relating to cases where Form 7 applications were allegedly filed fraudulently in their constituencies.

"There is a need for a comprehensive investigation and a criminal probe within the framework of law into this matter," Shivakumar said.

He alleged that the issue was not confined to a few constituencies and claimed that similar attempts had been reported in the seats of of several sitting and former legislators, including Minister Eshwar Khandre’s Bhalki, Mudigere, among others.

"If this is happening in the constituencies of our MLAs, it indicates that a major conspiracy is taking place across the state," he alleged.

"As your chief minister, as a public servant, I’m trying to protect your votes, but I feel have failed. I have to accept this," he said.

The chief minister urged Booth Level Agents (BLAs), Booth Level Agents-2 (BLA-2s), legislators, party workers and voters to immediately share information about Form 7 applications allegedly submitted seeking deletion of their names or those of other voters.

He appealed to party functionaries and voters to provide details of alleged Form 7 applications to his office so that the matter could be brought before the Election Commission.