Congress Seeks Probe into Voter Awareness Controversy Under Former BBMP Commissioner
The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has voiced strong objections to the recent elevation of senior IAS officer Tushar Girinath (1993 batch) as Additional Chief Secretary of the Urban Development Department, along with his additional charge in the Home Department. KPCC Deputy Spokesperson Anand Kumar MS has formally written to Congress Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, alleging Girinath’s involvement in serious irregularities surrounding voter awareness initiatives in Bengaluru.
Chilume Trust and the Voter Awareness Controversy
In 2022, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorized the Chilume Educational, Cultural and Rural Development Trust to conduct voter awareness campaigns across all 28 constituencies in Bengaluru. However, investigative reports by The News Minute and Pratidhwani uncovered troubling practices: agents from Chilume, allegedly impersonating Booth Level Officers (BLOs), collected sensitive personal data including Aadhaar numbers, mobile contacts, caste information, and political leanings. This data was reportedly uploaded to a private application, sparking concerns over privacy breaches, electoral manipulation, and partisan misuse.
Congress Accusations of Electoral Bias and Misconduct
In his letter, Anand Kumar MS accused Tushar Girinath—then serving as BBMP Commissioner—of deliberately entrusting the voter survey responsibilities to Chilume Trust, which is alleged to have affiliations with the BJP. The Congress claims this move facilitated voter manipulation and sidelined its support base. The letter also highlights administrative lapses and a lack of transparency in the campaign’s execution, which allegedly compromised the fairness of the electoral process.
Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have previously raised alarms over voter roll tampering in multiple regions, including Bengaluru and Aland in Kalaburagi district, describing such actions as “vote theft.” In response, the Congress-led Karnataka government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine these allegations in Aland and other affected constituencies.
Public Scrutiny and Demand for Investigation
The KPCC has called for a comprehensive inquiry into the alleged voter data manipulation, particularly in the context of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Anand Kumar MS emphasized that despite the Congress being in power in Karnataka, Girinath’s promotion has sparked widespread public concern regarding political neutrality and ethical governance.
Additionally, the Congress party has filed two formal complaints with the Election Commission of India, urging an investigation into Girinath’s role in outsourcing election-related responsibilities to Chilume Trust.
Rahul Gandhi’s Broader Campaign Against Voter Roll Tampering
This controversy aligns with Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing national campaign against electoral irregularities. The Congress has held multiple press conferences spotlighting instances where voter lists were allegedly manipulated to benefit the ruling party. The revelations from Bengaluru have further intensified calls for electoral reform and reinforced the urgency of safeguarding democratic institutions from partisan interference.
