Prakash Raj has publicly questioned the Election Commission of Karnataka over the handling of his voter ID during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The actor claimed that his name had initially been marked as “permanently shifted” from his registered Bengaluru address, prompting him to question whether his voter registration had effectively been deleted.
Prakash Raj hits back at Election Commission
In a video shared on X, Prakash Raj addressed the Election Commission and alleged that officials changed their explanation after his complaint gained widespread attention. He questioned whether the commission had initially listed his voter ID as permanently shifted on its website.
“That means deleted. That means I have to fill out Form 6 and apply for a new voter ID,” Prakash Raj said. He further claimed that officials contacted him after his complaint went viral and admitted that there had been a mistake, assuring him that the issue would be corrected.
According to the actor, the commission later held a press conference and changed the wording on its website from “permanently shifted” to simply “shifted”. This led him to accuse the authorities of contradicting their earlier position.
“And tell the press that it’s actually shifted, the deletion is a lie. You are telling a lie, you have told a lie,” he said in the video. He also alleged that a Booth Level Officer (BLO) was sent to his old address to conduct a spot verification after the controversy had gained attention.
All about the Voter ID issue
The Election Commission and local civic authorities, however, have maintained that Prakash Raj’s name was not deleted from the electoral roll. Officials said his voter status was marked as “shifted” after verification reportedly found that he had not been living at his registered address for around four years.
The Bengaluru Central City Corporation stated that neighbours, the property manager and the flat owner confirmed that Prakash Raj no longer lived at the registered address. Officials said a mahazar was prepared and his status was subsequently marked as shifted. They also said the actor could re-register his voter details at his current residence within the constituency by submitting Form 6.
Prakash Raj, however, stressed that his concern was not simply about his own voter registration. “Hello, I am a celebrity. Will you call the common man like this? I am a celebrity because of my work, but I am equal to every citizen,” he said.
Calling the matter a question of “the dignity of a citizen”, the actor added, “This fight is about the dignity of a citizen.” He ended his statement by declaring, “More videos, more clarifications, and a press meet to come. Game on.”
Prakash Raj had been on the forefront for the student protests.
Prakash Raj slams Election Commission over voter status: ‘You are telling a lie’
