CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Delhi: NEW DELHI: Left-wing political parties, student organisations and civil society groups staged protests in Delhi against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstrations focused on allegations that the voter-list revision process could exclude eligible citizens from exercising their voting rights.
The protests were organised under the banner of “People Against SIR” and involved members of student groups, including the All India Students’ Association (AISA), along with Left parties and other civil society organisations. Demonstrators gathered at several locations, including areas near Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, Jantar Mantar and the Election Commission of India headquarters.
Protesters demanded that the SIR exercise be withdrawn and that voting rights be restored to people whose names they allege were wrongly deleted from electoral rolls. They also called for changes to the process used to appoint election commissioners, including the reinstatement of the Chief Justice of India on the selection panel.
Several prominent figures associated with Left parties and civil society supported the demonstrations, including CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, RJD MP Manoj Jha, lawyer Prashant Bhushan and activist Yogendra Yadav.
Delhi Police detained nearly 150 protesters during the October 23 demonstrations, citing the absence of permission for the gatherings. Those detained were subsequently released.
The Election Commission maintains that the revision exercise aims to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls by identifying duplicate and ineligible entries. The dispute over the SIR process continues, with opposition groups seeking greater transparency and safeguards for eligible voters.
Further protests are expected as opposition parties prepare for a larger rally in Delhi on November 1.
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