All the citizens must retain their right to vote, else it would be difficult to get govt benefits, said chief minister D K Shivakumar, Tuesday.He kicked off Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in the state by filling up his Enumeration form at his residence in Sadashivanagar with his wife Usha Shivakumar.Speaking to reporters after signing the form, he said, “Other states are also extending benefits only to certain voters. They are withdrawing benefits from those who do not have voting rights. A similar system could be considered in our state as well. We want to ensure that guarantee scheme benefits are provided to the voters of our state. Why should these benefits be extended to people from other states? Our view is that the benefits should be limited to the people of our state.”Towrads this, he urged citizens to participate in SIR process: “All citizens must retain their voting rights; otherwise, it would become difficult for them to access government benefits.”“Any one person from the family can fill up the enumeration forms and sign on behalf of all family members. The voters can also change their photo while submitting the application. The government of Karnataka is ready to provide all necessary documentation needed for the SIR process,” he added.Talking about possible hurdles with older numbers being linked to the voter ID, “Along with your name, you must provide the mobile number that was linked to your voter ID at the time of registration. If the number has changed, election officials will allow you to update it. The OTP will be sent to the mobile number you provide.”Explaining the process, he said, One member of a family may complete the enumeration forms and sign them on behalf of all other family members.Responding to questions about digital illiteracy and challenges in using the app, Shivakumar said, “I don’t use any apps either. I took help from others. Voters can also obtain a physical application form from their BLOs and submit it offline.”
