A state-level protest and “People’s Court” against the special intensive revision of electoral rolls is being held at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, with organisers reporting participation from people and activists arriving from across Karnataka.
The event has been organised by a coalition of secular parties and public-interest organisations opposing the revision process. Protest songs were being performed at the venue, while leaders of the coalition were addressing the gathering, according to Prajavani.
The report said the hall at Freedom Park was nearly full as the programme continued on October 8. The organisers have described the gathering as an effort to hear the concerns of people affected by the electoral-roll revision process.
Three retired Supreme Court judges are scheduled to listen to the problems raised by those attending the People’s Court. The programme is also set to include writers, artists, public figures and political representatives, including Devanur Mahadeva, actor Prakash Raj, Abhijit Dipke, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka of the Cockroach Janata Party, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and economist Parakala Prabhakar.
The gathering places the administration of electoral rolls in a public urban setting, where concerns over inclusion and revision are being brought before a large audience and a panel of retired judges. The supplied report does not provide details of the specific cases raised by affected residents, the number of names involved, or any response from election authorities.
It also does not state whether the People’s Court has legal or administrative authority over the revision process. Its announced role, according to the report, is to hear the grievances of people affected by the exercise. Further developments will depend on the submissions made at the programme and any subsequent response from the relevant authorities.
