Karnataka BJP accuses state of 20 crore rupee voter ID card scam

Karnataka opposition leader R. Ashok has accused the state election commission and government of a twenty crore rupee scam involving voter identity card printing. Ashok stated that authorities printed ninety million cards in Bengaluru despite a special intensive revision process identifying only 5.9 million voters.

Timeline and Details

According to the released tender documents, the Election Commission of India ordered the revision on May 14, 2026. The state election body issued a tender the very next day and gave out a work order by May 29. Ashok pointed out that officials bypassed standard rules by failing to conduct mandatory physical checks and taking photographs before printing. Lokmat News Hindi noted his claim that these actions violated proper procedures and left thirty-one million cards unaccounted for.

Demands and Wider Claims

Ashok demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the extra cards and challenged leaders to distribute them if everything is fair. He also linked the financial issue to the state treasury's status, noting conflicting statements from leaders about available funds. The government and election commission responses were not included in the initial reports.

Context

Special intensive revision processes are periodic updates carried out by election authorities to clean up voter rolls by removing names of people who have shifted or passed away. Tender processes for public works require strict adherence to timelines and official verification steps to ensure complete transparency and prevent misuse of public money.