You are telling a lie: Prakash Raj questions Election Commision over voter ID
Actor Prakash Raj has challenged the Election Commission's claim that he must re-register his voter ID after his status was marked as shifted. The exchange has sharpened questions over voter roll verification and the treatment of ordinary citizens.
Actor Prakash Raj has questioned the Election Commission over its claim that he must re-register his voter ID at a new address, amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Karnataka. The dispute began after Prakash Raj claimed that his name had been deleted from the Bengaluru electoral roll, while the Election Commission said there was no deletion and that his voter status had been marked as shifted.
In a video posted on X on Thursday, Prakash Raj directly accused the commission of changing its stand. "Friends, saathiyon (pals), a few questions to the Election Commission of Karnataka. Isn’t it true that you had put it on your website that my voter ID is permanently shifted?" he said.
He added, "That means deleted. That means I have to fill out Form 6 and apply for a new voter ID. Once I raised an issue, and it reached millions, isn’t it true that your officials called me and said there has been a mistake. We will correct it? And you also requested me to put it on social media that you’re correcting it."
Prakash Raj had first posted a video on Tuesday claiming that his name had been deleted from the Bengaluru electoral roll during the SIR exercise in Karnataka. He said he was born and raised in the constituency, studied there and worked in theatre there, and also claimed that 65 lakh voters have been deleted from the Bengaluru constituency.
The actor had previously contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from the Bengaluru constituency. According to ANI, the Election Commission has maintained that the SIR exercise is routine and meant to ensure a clean and accurate electoral roll.
The Bengaluru Central City Corporation has said that Prakash Raj’s name has not been deleted from the electoral roll and remained actively registered. Officials said verification by the Booth Level Officer found that the actor had permanently shifted from his registered address.
According to officials, neighbours, the property manager and the flat owner confirmed that he had not lived at the address for the past four years. A mahazar was drawn and his voter status was marked as ‘shifted’.
The Corporation also said Prakash Raj confirmed over the telephone that he no longer lives at the registered address, though he continues to stay at another location within the constituency. Jagadish G, Additional District Election Officer (Central) and Commissioner of the Bengaluru Central City Corporation, said he can re-register his voter details at his current residence through Form-6.
In its statement, the civic body said the allegations in the circulating video were "verified and found not true." Prakash Raj, however, said the commission later held a press meet and changed its position.
“And by evening, you call a press meet. You change it from permanently shifted to shifted on your website. And tell the press that it’s actually shifted, the deletion is a lie. You are telling a lie, you have told a lie. And by 8.30, you will send your BLO to the old address, in front of the door, with a camera, call neighbours and create a natak (drama) that you have done the mahazar (spot check) after the issue is out of hand,” he said.
Prakash Raj also said the issue went beyond his status as a public figure. “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. This fight is about the dignity of a citizen. Of standing in queues, asking us to stand in queues. More videos, more clarifications, and a press meet to come. Game on,” he said.
Apart from his film career, the 61-year-old is also known for his unfiltered opinions on socio-political issues. The actor recently condemned the use of tear gas and lathi charge against JPSC-JSSC aspirants marching towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi. He reacted strongly to the video of the crackdown as protests over exam irregularities intensified
Prakash Raj had also backed the Cockroach Janta Party's youth-led protest against NEET irregularities as activist Sonam Wangchuk sat on a 26-day hunger strike.
Actor Prakash Raj has questioned the Election Commission over its claim that he must re-register his voter ID at a new address, amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Karnataka. The dispute began after Prakash Raj claimed that his name had been deleted from the Bengaluru electoral roll, while the Election Commission said there was no deletion and that his voter status had been marked as shifted.
In a video posted on X on Thursday, Prakash Raj directly accused the commission of changing its stand. "Friends, saathiyon (pals), a few questions to the Election Commission of Karnataka. Isn’t it true that you had put it on your website that my voter ID is permanently shifted?" he said.
He added, "That means deleted. That means I have to fill out Form 6 and apply for a new voter ID. Once I raised an issue, and it reached millions, isn’t it true that your officials called me and said there has been a mistake. We will correct it? And you also requested me to put it on social media that you’re correcting it."
Prakash Raj had first posted a video on Tuesday claiming that his name had been deleted from the Bengaluru electoral roll during the SIR exercise in Karnataka. He said he was born and raised in the constituency, studied there and worked in theatre there, and also claimed that 65 lakh voters have been deleted from the Bengaluru constituency.
The actor had previously contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from the Bengaluru constituency. According to ANI, the Election Commission has maintained that the SIR exercise is routine and meant to ensure a clean and accurate electoral roll.
The Bengaluru Central City Corporation has said that Prakash Raj’s name has not been deleted from the electoral roll and remained actively registered. Officials said verification by the Booth Level Officer found that the actor had permanently shifted from his registered address.
According to officials, neighbours, the property manager and the flat owner confirmed that he had not lived at the address for the past four years. A mahazar was drawn and his voter status was marked as ‘shifted’.
The Corporation also said Prakash Raj confirmed over the telephone that he no longer lives at the registered address, though he continues to stay at another location within the constituency. Jagadish G, Additional District Election Officer (Central) and Commissioner of the Bengaluru Central City Corporation, said he can re-register his voter details at his current residence through Form-6.
In its statement, the civic body said the allegations in the circulating video were "verified and found not true." Prakash Raj, however, said the commission later held a press meet and changed its position.
“And by evening, you call a press meet. You change it from permanently shifted to shifted on your website. And tell the press that it’s actually shifted, the deletion is a lie. You are telling a lie, you have told a lie. And by 8.30, you will send your BLO to the old address, in front of the door, with a camera, call neighbours and create a natak (drama) that you have done the mahazar (spot check) after the issue is out of hand,” he said.
Prakash Raj also said the issue went beyond his status as a public figure. “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. This fight is about the dignity of a citizen. Of standing in queues, asking us to stand in queues. More videos, more clarifications, and a press meet to come. Game on,” he said.
Apart from his film career, the 61-year-old is also known for his unfiltered opinions on socio-political issues. The actor recently condemned the use of tear gas and lathi charge against JPSC-JSSC aspirants marching towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi. He reacted strongly to the video of the crackdown as protests over exam irregularities intensified
Prakash Raj had also backed the Cockroach Janta Party's youth-led protest against NEET irregularities as activist Sonam Wangchuk sat on a 26-day hunger strike.
Actor Prakash Raj has questioned the Election Commission over its claim that he must re-register his voter ID at a new address, amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Karnataka. The dispute began after Prakash Raj claimed that his name had been deleted from the Bengaluru electoral roll, while the Election Commission said there was no deletion and that his voter status had been marked as shifted.
In a video posted on X on Thursday, Prakash Raj directly accused the commission of changing its stand. "Friends, saathiyon (pals), a few questions to the Election Commission of Karnataka. Isn’t it true that you had put it on your website that my voter ID is permanently shifted?" he said.
He added, "That means deleted. That means I have to fill out Form 6 and apply for a new voter ID. Once I raised an issue, and it reached millions, isn’t it true that your officials called me and said there has been a mistake. We will correct it? And you also requested me to put it on social media that you’re correcting it."
Prakash Raj had first posted a video on Tuesday claiming that his name had been deleted from the Bengaluru electoral roll during the SIR exercise in Karnataka. He said he was born and raised in the constituency, studied there and worked in theatre there, and also claimed that 65 lakh voters have been deleted from the Bengaluru constituency.
The actor had previously contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from the Bengaluru constituency. According to ANI, the Election Commission has maintained that the SIR exercise is routine and meant to ensure a clean and accurate electoral roll.
The Bengaluru Central City Corporation has said that Prakash Raj’s name has not been deleted from the electoral roll and remained actively registered. Officials said verification by the Booth Level Officer found that the actor had permanently shifted from his registered address.
According to officials, neighbours, the property manager and the flat owner confirmed that he had not lived at the address for the past four years. A mahazar was drawn and his voter status was marked as ‘shifted’.
The Corporation also said Prakash Raj confirmed over the telephone that he no longer lives at the registered address, though he continues to stay at another location within the constituency. Jagadish G, Additional District Election Officer (Central) and Commissioner of the Bengaluru Central City Corporation, said he can re-register his voter details at his current residence through Form-6.
In its statement, the civic body said the allegations in the circulating video were "verified and found not true." Prakash Raj, however, said the commission later held a press meet and changed its position.
“And by evening, you call a press meet. You change it from permanently shifted to shifted on your website. And tell the press that it’s actually shifted, the deletion is a lie. You are telling a lie, you have told a lie. And by 8.30, you will send your BLO to the old address, in front of the door, with a camera, call neighbours and create a natak (drama) that you have done the mahazar (spot check) after the issue is out of hand,” he said.
Prakash Raj also said the issue went beyond his status as a public figure. “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. This fight is about the dignity of a citizen. Of standing in queues, asking us to stand in queues. More videos, more clarifications, and a press meet to come. Game on,” he said.
Apart from his film career, the 61-year-old is also known for his unfiltered opinions on socio-political issues. The actor recently condemned the use of tear gas and lathi charge against JPSC-JSSC aspirants marching towards the Jharkhand Assembly in Ranchi. He reacted strongly to the video of the crackdown as protests over exam irregularities intensified
Prakash Raj had also backed the Cockroach Janta Party's youth-led protest against NEET irregularities as activist Sonam Wangchuk sat on a 26-day hunger strike.
