Congress smells foul in voters’ survey

Bengaluru, Nov 17: Ahead of the assembly elections, a mega controversy over voters’ survey has surfaced in the city. Opposition Congress alleged corrupt electoral practice and breach of voters’ survey policy.

Chilume an NGO entrusted with SVEEP activities

Chilume, a private entity which was given permission to conduct voter awareness across 28 constituencies by the BBMP, collected data of voters using fabricated BBMP ID cards. BBMP withdrew permission given to them on Wednesday night giving an indication that the controversy has taken place.

The Congress demanded the resignation of CM Basavaraj Bommai, alleging he is directly responsible for the corrupt electoral practice by assigning the private entity to collect door-to-door voter information. It is learnt that the through the survey certain confidential and crucial information has been obtained which would commercially profit the private entity and the BJP. It is alleged that the BJP can utilize the information to its advantage and to tilt the voters towards BJP.

As a row erupted over the issue, the BBMP said Chilume Educational Cultural and Rural Development Trust had violated the conditions and announced terminating the permission given to it to conduct door-to-door visit to “create awareness” among the public on online application via Voter Helpline Mobile App pertaining to Voter ID.

Congress general secretary and the party’s Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala on Thursday alleged at a press conference at the KPCC office in the city that BBMP authorised the private firm in August to carry out a door-to-door survey of voters ‘free of cost’ and that it gathered information on people’s gender, mother tongue and collected voter ID and Aadhaar details.

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