Bengaluru lawyers on Tuesday condemned alleged police violence and detentions during protests linked to the special intensive revision process, while demanding an apology from the Union government and a probe by the Centre. The lawyers also welcomed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s order to investigate the Bengaluru incident.
The demonstrations, organised by the Indian Association of Lawyers and the All Indian Lawyers Association for Justice, were held outside the city civil court. Unlike Monday’s confrontation, when protesting lawyers were allegedly manhandled near KR Circle, Tuesday’s protest remained peaceful and no police attempt was made to detain or remove the demonstrators, the report said.
Protesters displayed placards reading “Batons cannot silence the Constitution” and “Dissent is not a crime”. Their demands included an apology over the alleged unlawful detentions of lawyers and students during anti-SIR protests in Bengaluru and Delhi.
Clifton D’Rozario, general secretary of the All Indian Lawyers Association for Justice, welcomed the chief minister’s decision to order an inquiry. D’Rozario, who said he was among the advocates allegedly manhandled by police on Monday, said the state government had acted by agreeing to examine the incident and expressed confidence that action would follow.
The lawyers also sought the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing alleged discrepancies in the special intensive revision process. Shilpa Prasad, a lawyer, said the Bengaluru protest was concerned with the revision process, the alleged manhandling of lawyers and the broader question of the rule of law.
The events have placed the conduct of police during public demonstrations under scrutiny. The difference between Monday’s alleged confrontation and Tuesday’s peaceful protest also highlighted how the location and manner of protest can shape interactions between demonstrators and law-enforcement authorities. The source report did not provide details of the chief minister’s inquiry’s terms of reference, timeline or the police response to the lawyers’ allegations.
Avani Choksi, an advocate focused on labour law, said Tuesday’s protest had been planned before Monday’s events and was primarily connected to developments in Delhi. The lawyers indicated that further demonstrations could follow if the Union government did not respond to their demands. The next steps will depend on the Karnataka government’s inquiry and any response from the Union government to the lawyers’ requests.
