Cinema VinesActor Prakash Raj has publicly challenged the Karnataka Election Commission after claiming his name was removed from the Bengaluru electoral roll during the state’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. In a video posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Raj said he had received a call from the commission’s office admitting a mistake and promising to correct the deletion. He demanded that the commission explain why his voter ID was listed as “permanently shifted” on its website and why the deletion would require him to fill out Form 6 and apply for a new card.
Raj’s video highlighted a series of contradictory statements from the commission. He said that after he raised the issue, officials called him, acknowledged an error, and asked him to share the correction on social media. Later that evening, the commission called a press meet, changed the status on its website from “permanently shifted” to “shifted,” and claimed that the deletion was a lie. Raj accused the commission of staging a “natak” (drama) by sending a Block Level Officer (BLO) to his old address with a camera and asking neighbors to witness a supposed spot check.
In his remarks, Raj emphasized that his celebrity status does not exempt him from the rights of a citizen. He stated, “I am a celebrity because of my work, but I am equal to every citizen. This fight is about the dignity of a citizen.” He also mentioned that he had previously contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from the Bengaluru constituency and that he believes 65 lakh voters may have been deleted during the SIR.
The Election Commission has maintained that the SIR is a routine exercise aimed at ensuring a clean and accurate electoral roll. The Bengaluru Central City Corporation has confirmed that Raj’s name remains actively registered and has not been deleted. The commission’s officials have not yet provided a detailed explanation for the conflicting information released during the press meeting.
