A large protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is being held at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park, where opposition parties, public organisations and citizens are gathering for a public hearing on complaints linked to the voter-list process, according to Prajavani.
The state-level event has been organised by a coalition of secular parties and public-interest organisations opposed to the revision exercise. The programme includes a ‘Janata Nyayalaya’, or public hearing, for people who say they have been affected by the SIR process. Prajavani reported that three retired Supreme Court judges are expected to hear grievances raised by affected people.
The gathering is being led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), with participants arriving from different parts of Karnataka. The report said the venue was nearly full and that thousands of people had assembled at Freedom Park. Protest songs were performed at the venue as coalition leaders and other participants took the stage.
Among those named as participants are writer Devanur Mahadeva, actor and social activist Prakash Raj, economic commentator Parakala Prabhakar, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and CJP leaders Abhijit Dipke, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. The report also said that Aam Aadmi Party members, left-leaning student organisations, private-school teachers and members of the public attended the protest.
The central concern raised by the organisers is that the voter-list revision could exclude or otherwise affect eligible voters. Protesters have demanded accountability over the process and have called for the resignation of Chief Electoral Officer Gyanesh Kumar, alleging irregularities in the exercise. Those allegations were reported as claims made by the protesters and were not independently established in the supplied material.
The protest also reflects how electoral-roll administration can become a city-level public issue when residents believe their inclusion or details in the voter register are at risk. Freedom Park, a designated public protest space in central Bengaluru, has been used for the gathering, allowing the issue to move from an administrative process into a highly visible civic demonstration.
Abhijit Dipke was quoted as saying, “Power may be with you, but the streets are ours. From here, we will reclaim our democracy.” Organisers said the demonstration would remain peaceful and that they would not resort to violence. The supplied report did not provide details of traffic restrictions, police deployment, the number of formal complaints received or any response from the Election Commission or the chief electoral officer.
A separate protest by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president B.K. Hariprasad and Congress workers was also reported outside the KPCC headquarters. That demonstration likewise opposed the SIR process and alleged irregularities, while seeking the chief electoral officer’s resignation. The Freedom Park event and the KPCC protest were reported as separate gatherings.
The Freedom Park public hearing and protest are expected to continue with speeches and submissions from coalition leaders, activists and people who say they have been affected by the voter-list revision process.
