Actor Prakash Raj has stepped up his criticism of the Election Commission over a dispute concerning his name on the Bengaluru electoral roll, questioning the poll authorities’ explanation that his voter registration was marked as “shifted” rather than deleted.
The controversy erupted after Prakash Raj claimed that his name had been removed from the electoral roll during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Karnataka.
The Election Commission and Bengaluru civic authorities, however, have rejected the allegation, maintaining that his name was not deleted. Officials said verification by the Booth Level Officer found that Prakash Raj had moved from the address where he was registered and that his voter status was consequently marked as “shifted”.
Prakash Raj questions EC explanation
In a video posted on X, Prakash Raj questioned the Election Commission’s handling of the matter and alleged that the explanation changed after he raised the issue publicly.
The actor said he was initially told that his voter registration had been “permanently shifted”. He argued that such a change would effectively require him to apply for a fresh voter registration using Form 6.
Prakash Raj also claimed that officials contacted him after his concerns gained wider attention and told him that a mistake had been made and that it would be corrected.
He subsequently questioned why the Election Commission later maintained that his name had not been deleted.
‘I am equal to every citizen,’ says actor
Prakash Raj said the issue was not merely about his status as a public figure but about the rights of every voter.
“I am a celebrity because of my work, but I am equal to every citizen,” he said, stressing that the dispute was about the dignity and rights of citizens.
He also questioned whether similar attention would be given to an ordinary voter facing a comparable problem.
What the Election Commission said
The Bengaluru Central City Corporation has maintained that Prakash Raj’s name was not deleted from the electoral roll.
According to officials, a Booth Level Officer conducted verification at the address where the actor was registered. Neighbours, the property manager and the flat owner reportedly told officials that Prakash Raj had not been residing there for around four years.
A mahazar, or spot verification record, was subsequently prepared and his voter status was marked as “shifted”.
Officials also said Prakash Raj confirmed over the phone that he no longer lived at the registered address, while continuing to reside elsewhere within the same constituency.
Jagadish G, Additional District Election Officer (Central) and Commissioner of the Bengaluru Central City Corporation, said Prakash Raj could register his voter details at his current residence by submitting Form 6.
The civic body said the allegations made in the actor’s video were examined and described them as “not true”.
SIR exercise remains at the centre of dispute
The disagreement comes amid Karnataka’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, an exercise aimed at verifying voter details and updating the electoral database.
Prakash Raj has raised questions over the process and claimed that a large number of voters have been removed from the Bengaluru constituency. Election authorities, meanwhile, have described the exercise as a routine process intended to ensure that electoral rolls remain accurate.
The dispute between the actor and election authorities is expected to draw further attention as the verification and revision process continues.
