Overview
- The Karnataka government issued a formal order on June 29 to create Permanent Residence Certificates and domicile documents to establish long‑term residence and help residents during the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
- Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje asked Home Minister Amit Shah on July 8 to examine the PRC notification and keep implementation in abeyance, saying the move may conflict with the Centre’s exclusive role over citizenship and could be misused to legitimize illegal migrants.
- State leaders including Home Minister Priyank Kharge and Deputy CM G. Parameshwara say the PRC is an administrative tool the state may frame under existing laws and that it aims to prevent wrongful deletions from voter lists by offering clear residency proof.
- The BJP has signaled legal and constitutional challenges and plans to petition the Governor, while migrant‑rights groups have broadly welcomed the intent but warned the Election Commission’s acceptance of PRCs as valid proof for SIR enrolment remains unresolved.
- Operational guidelines allow online and local applications and set criteria such as birth in Karnataka, long schooling in the state, property records or local enquiry; the dispute creates uncertainty for residents as the ECI’s door‑to‑door verification ends on July 29 and draft rolls are due on August 5.