INDIA bloc intensifies protests against ECI-SIR, holds protests at Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The INDIA bloc parties on Thursday intensified their campaign against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, holding a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Congress Working Committee member Siddaramaiah and KPCC president BK Hariprasad led the demonstration, which was attended by leaders of CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML) Liberation, Forward Bloc, Samajwadi Party and several social and student organisations. Actor Prakash Raj also participated.

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Addressing the gathering, Shivakumar said the opposition would continue its agitation until voters whose names were deleted from the electoral rolls, except those of deceased persons, received justice. "We do not agree with the manner in which the SIR exercise is being conducted. We will continue the fight until justice is served," he said.

Siddaramaiah described the agitation as a fight to protect democratic and constitutional values. "I consider this struggle for the protection of democracy and the Constitution as the second freedom struggle," he said. Expressing confidence that the BJP's dominance was weakening, he said the 2029 Lok Sabha elections would usher in political change in the country.

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Hariprasad said the protest was a continuation of the November 1 demonstration and would be expanded across Karnataka. He said district and block-level units had been asked to organise simultaneous protests against the SIR exercise and to press for the CEC's resignation.

The opposition parties have alleged that the voter-roll revision lacks transparency and safeguards, while the Election Commission has maintained that the exercise is intended to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls.

Police deployed additional personnel around Freedom Park as leaders reiterated that protecting the right to vote and preserving the integrity of the electoral process would remain central to their campaign.