Actor Prakash Raj has claimed that his name was deleted from the electoral rolls in Bengaluru during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists, sparking a fresh political controversy over the exercise.
In a video posted on his X account on Tuesday, Raj said he was among the nearly 65 lakh voters whose names were removed from the electoral rolls during the revision. He questioned how a person who was born, raised and educated in Bengaluru could suddenly find his name missing from the voter list.
Raj said he had been a voter in Bengaluru's Shantinagar Assembly constituency and had also contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Bengaluru Central. He expressed disbelief over the removal of his name and questioned the process followed by election officials.
The controversy, however, took another turn after election officials reportedly clarified that Raj's status was marked as “permanently shifted” rather than simply being deleted. According to officials, Booth Level Officers had attempted to verify his details at his earlier registered address but found that he had moved from the premises.
Officials said the change was based on field verification and that Raj could apply to update his electoral details at his current address. The clarification has prompted a debate over whether the case should be described as deletion of voting rights or as a routine correction following a change of residence.
The Karnataka BJP has also rejected Raj's allegation, saying available records showed that his name had been present during the SIR process and that he had shifted from the address where he was registered. The party described his claim as misleading and said voters who have changed residences can update their details through the prescribed process.
Raj's allegation comes amid a wider political debate over the SIR exercise in Karnataka. The revision is aimed at updating electoral rolls by identifying eligible voters and removing entries of people who are deceased, have permanently shifted or are otherwise no longer eligible at a particular address.
The actor's comments have nevertheless drawn attention because of his public profile and his earlier political involvement. The Election Commission's verification process and the final electoral rolls will determine the status of his name, the episode remains a dispute over how his electoral status was recorded, rather than confirmation that his voting rights have been permanently cancelled.
