Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai today said that the state government is "very seriously" mulling the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code -- a contentious issue among Muslims because it will do away with religion-specific laws. While addressing party workers in the Shivamogga district, he said that the state must have it.
"We are thinking very seriously about one of the main manifesto points of BJP on the all India level, that is the Uniform Civil Code. There are committees being formed in different states regarding this. Even we are looking into it and studying its aspects. We feel it is important to implement it," he said.
On probing the voters' list revision controversy, Mr Bommai said that the investigation will be carried out in an impartial manner and any officer, or organisation, or agency found guilty will be punished.
Talking to reporters after garlanding the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar on the occasion of Constitution Day here on Saturday, he said "several persons are already arrested in this connection and the inquiry of officials is on. The Election Commission of India has decided to revise the voters' list where deletion of names has occurred, and the government will welcome it".
Karnataka will go to polls in May 2023. Chief Minister Bommai said elections will be held in a free and fair manner. "We will welcome certain steps such as correcting where the names are deleted purposefully, at two or three places, despite the person having a voter's identity card".
Congress had last week alleged a private agency in Bengaluru was collecting voters' data and this information was misused by the state government, violating norms of the Election Commission of India (ECI). It also alleged that deletion of lakhs of voter names occurred, along with the collection of personal details including phone numbers, and email IDs, raising privacy concerns.
AdvertisementBJP and Congress have accused each other for the data theft and voters' deletion. The ruling party said Congress is to blame, as it had first employed the services of the agency when it was in power.
The BJP has been promising uniform Civil Code in all poll-bound states during campaigning.
