Bengaluru: As the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls commenced in Karnataka Tuesday, the Congress accused the Election Commission of acting under pressure from the Centre, with home minister Priyank Kharge describing the poll body as “puppets” of the govt.Priyank said the state had raised 12 objections to the SIR process and was expecting a response from the chief election commissioner, but none had been received. “We have raised 12 objections to the way SIR is conducted. We were expecting the CEC to reply. Unfortunately, they have not responded. The CEC and the Election Commission are puppets in the hands of the government. It is clear that the govt has no popular vote among the people, so they want to do these things,” he added.The Cabinet recently passed a resolution seeking changes before the exercise began. It called for an independent review of the SIR process, an extension of the deadline for submitting Enumeration Forms to at least three months, and greater transparency in the criteria, software and procedures used for voter verification. The Cabinet also sought safeguards against arbitrary deletion of voters, demanded wider acceptance of identity documents including Karnataka’s Kutumba ID, opposed shifting the burden of proof onto citizens, and called for special protections for vulnerable groups, including women, migrant workers, slum dwellers, persons with disabilities and transgender persons.Won’t stop questioning RSS, says Priyank after court summonsPriyank also said he would continue questioning the RSS despite a Bengaluru court issuing summons to him and Karnataka Youth Congress president Mohammed Haris Nalapad in a criminal defamation case over their alleged remarks against the Sangh Parivar. “If they think they can silence us, they are mistaken. I have nothing to fear if I have the Constitution by my side,” Priyank said. The summons followed a private complaint by RSS worker Tejas Gowda. The controversy stems from Priyank’s recent remarks and open letter seeking clarity on the RSS’s legal status, financial transparency and constitutional accountability.
