Controversial Chilume Trust Engaged By BBMP For 2018 Election-related Tasks

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had entrusted the NGO Chilume Educational Cultural and Rural Development Trust which is embroiled in a controversy over allegations of voter data theft in Bengaluru’s Shivajinagar, with election-related tasks in the past too, the Indian Express reported.

In December 2018, the NGO was entrusted with the task of conducting awareness about the Lok Sabha elections, revision of electoral rolls and taking up Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme, BBMP official documents show.

This year, the Trust had covertly collected personal information from thousands of voters in Bengaluru by making their field agents pose as government officials, an investigation by The News Minute has revealed.

It was tasked with the additional responsibility of going door to door, linking Aadhaar with voter card and enrolling new voters.

However, the BBMP on Thursday filed a police complaint against the NGO, following allegations that the organisation collected personal information about voters, with its members posing as government officials.

The allegations were raised by residents of Shivajinagar and confirmed by Geetha V, an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker who is a booth level officer in the area.

A twitter handle @2019Bbmp, which is no longer in use, followed by BBMP, shows that the organisation conducted awareness activities around the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in January and February.

BBMP Special commissioner Rangappa told the Indian Express that no permission was given to collect voters data. “The NGO was allowed to spread awareness about the voter helpline and general awareness around elections. When the complaints came that the trust was collecting voters’ data we cancelled the permission. We have filed a police complaint in this regard.”

Halasuru Gate police station has registered a case under IPC sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 419 (cheating by personation), 420 (cheating) and 468 (forgery).