The Bharatiya Janata Party’s state unit in Karnataka has requested the Chief Electoral Officer to retract the state government’s notification on the Population Register Collection (PRC), alleging it is unconstitutional and a covert attempt to implement a “backdoor NRC” in the state. The BJP delegation emphasized that the PRC exercise, initiated through a June 26 notification, breaches constitutional provisions and falls under the Union Government’s jurisdiction.
The BJP leaders have urged the Chief Electoral Officer to verify if the state government consulted the Centre before issuing the notification and to clarify the criteria for verifying Indian citizenship. They have also called for the immediate withdrawal of the notification to maintain peace and security in the state, insisting that the Election Commission investigate the matter thoroughly.
Furthermore, the BJP delegation has demanded an inquiry into the authenticity of birth certificates issued post the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. They argued that matters related to citizenship, population registers, and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) are under the Union List and require the Centre’s approval, not the state government’s.
The BJP has expressed concerns about the lack of legal clarity and transparency in citizens’ data collection during the PRC exercise. They criticized the state government for proceeding with the exercise despite opposition objections, questioning its motives. The party emphasized that the state government lacks the authority to conduct NRC-like exercises without the Centre’s approval.
The BJP leaders have called on the Chief Electoral Officer to ensure that the PRC exercise does not disrupt the ongoing electoral roll revision in Karnataka. They have also requested the immediate suspension of the exercise until its legality is thoroughly examined and clarified by the state government. This issue is anticipated to heighten the political tensions between the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP ahead of the upcoming local body elections in Karnataka.
