Karnataka HC extends protection to BJP leader in voter deletion case till Oct 13

Dharwad, Oct 12 : The Karnataka High Court has extended interim protection from coercive police action to BJP leader Dr Ravi Patil and two others in a case involving the alleged fabrication of 198 applications seeking the deletion of voters' names from electoral rolls in Belagavi, till October 13.

Justice Venkatesh Naik T, sitting at the Dharwad bench, passed the interim order on petitions filed by Patil, Prashanth Mundimani and Shankar Birappa Naik. The court also issued an emergent notice to the complainant and posted the matter for further hearing on October 13.

The relief came after the State sought time to file its statement of objections and the latest investigation report. The court directed the police and the investigating officer not to take coercive steps against the petitioners until the next hearing.

The case stems from a complaint by a Congress block agent alleging that the accused conspired to delete the names of Muslim voters from the electoral rolls in Belagavi by submitting fabricated Form 7 applications during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

According to the FIR, 198 applications were allegedly submitted to a Booth Level Officer attached to the election section of the Belagavi Mahanagara Palike, even though the voters concerned reportedly continued to reside at the addresses recorded in the electoral rolls.

Form 7 is used to seek the deletion of names from electoral rolls. The allegations have raised concerns over the possible misuse of the voter-list revision process.

The Market Police Station registered a case under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to cheating, forgery, furnishing false information and criminal conspiracy.

Patil had earlier secured anticipatory bail from a sessions court in Belagavi. The High Court's latest order provides only temporary protection until the next hearing, when the State's objections and investigation report are expected to be considered.

Senior advocate Aruna Shyam appeared for Patil.

The case is registered as Criminal Petition No. 102783 of 2026 and connected matters.

The allegations against the petitioners have not been established in court, and the High Court has not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case.