Actor Prakash Raj has claimed that his name has been removed from the electoral rolls in Bengaluru during Karnataka’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), questioning the process and saying he would find out what documents were needed to restore his voting rights, reports NDTV.
In a video message shared on Instagram on Tuesday, the 61-year-old actor said he was among the 65 lakh voters whose names had allegedly been deleted from the rolls following the revision exercise.
“Dear friends, saathiyon, I want to share a joke with you. I am one of the 65 lakh voters whose voter right has been deleted from Bangalore constituency after SIR,” Prakash said.
He went on to point out his long association with the constituency.
“I was born in this constituency, I lived in this constituency, I had my schooling, college, theatre and, for your kind information, I was an MP candidate of this constituency, too. Well, the joke is nice. Game on,” he added.
Prakash contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election as an Independent candidate from Bengaluru Central.
The actor also questioned what would be required to reclaim his voter ID, saying, “Let me see what is the process I have to go through, kya kya kagaz dikhana padega (what all papers I have to show) to get back my voter ID.”
His remark appeared to reference the slogan “Hum Kaagaz Nahin Dikhayenge”, which became associated with protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens in 2019.
Prakash then issued a pointed message, saying that while authorities might be able to deny voting rights to some citizens, they could not stop people from exercising their political power.
“Well game on but one little word, my friend, you can use your powers to deny a few of the citizens the right to vote who may not elect you but can you stop us,” he said.
Karnataka’s SIR exercise has drawn particular attention in Bengaluru, where a large proportion of electors have been placed in the ASDDO category — referring to voters classified as absent, shifted, duplicate, dead or others.
According to the Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka, 1,09,83,901, or 19.81 per cent, of the state’s 5,54,32,314 electors were identified under the ASDDO category.
Bengaluru Urban recorded the highest number of such cases, with 17,74,626 electors, accounting for 44.13 per cent of its 40,21,039 pre-SIR electors.
BBMP South recorded 10,87,829 ASDDO cases, representing 50.72 per cent of its 21,44,784 electors.
The Election Commission has extended the enumeration phase in Karnataka until 17 August.
The draft electoral rolls are scheduled to be published on 24 August, followed by a claims and objections period running until 23 September.
The notice phase for disposing of claims and objections will continue until 22 October, while the final electoral rolls are scheduled to be published on 27 October.
Prakash’s comments come amid his ongoing legal troubles related to an earlier case alleging that he possessed multiple voter ID cards.
Last month, he secured conditional bail after a Bengaluru court issued a non-bailable warrant in connection with the case.
The complaint alleged that the actor possessed four voter ID cards from Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, despite rules allowing an individual to hold only one voter ID.
