UDUPI: Hundreds of activists representing the Sahabalve organisation and various like-minded groups staged a protest in Udupi on Friday, October 23, opposing the Election Commission of India's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The protesters demanded that the revision process be cancelled and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resign from his post.
Organised under the banner of 'Oorooru Jantar Mantar', the demonstration began near the city's Clock Tower. Protesters marched towards Jodukatte, where a public meeting was held to voice concerns about the electoral roll revision exercise and its potential impact on eligible voters.
Congress spokesperson questions Election Commission
Addressing the gathering, All India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesperson Bhavya Narasimhamurthy criticised the BJP-led Union government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that several promises made since the party came to power in 2014 had not been fulfilled.
She cited the promises of doubling farmers' income and providing two crore jobs to young people every year, alleging that these commitments remained unfulfilled.
Narasimhamurthy further alleged that the Election Commission was being used to benefit the ruling party amid concerns about electoral performance. She questioned the functioning of the commission under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and expressed concern about its impartiality.
She also referred to the historical oppression faced by Dalits and backward communities, stating that the younger generation was responding to such concerns through democratic means.
Sorake raises concerns over voting rights
Former Karnataka minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, who addressed the protest meeting, alleged that efforts were being made to deprive 13 crore people across the country of their voting rights.
He expressed concern that the SIR exercise could affect the voting rights of lakhs of eligible citizens. Sorake also criticised Prime Minister Modi over his alleged absence from Parliament and questioned the implications of the electoral revision process for democratic participation.
Calling for immediate action, Sorake demanded that the Election Commission withdraw the SIR exercise and that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resign.
The concerns raised by the speakers reflected the protesters' opposition to the revision process. Their allegations regarding the potential exclusion of voters were presented at the demonstration and were not independently established by the protest itself.
Call to protect democratic participation
The 'Oorooru Jantar Mantar' campaign seeks to take protests over electoral roll revision and voting rights to towns and local communities rather than limiting demonstrations to major political centres.
In Udupi, the gathering brought together activists and representatives of different organisations who called for the cancellation of the SIR process. The protesters maintained that electoral procedures should safeguard the voting rights of eligible citizens and ensure public confidence in the election machinery.
Their demands centred on stopping the revision exercise and securing the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
Activists from several organisations participate
Among those who participated in the protest were Sahabalve organisation representatives Phaniraj and Sundar Master, Ramesh Kanchan, Prasad Raj Kanchan, Hariprasad Rai, Harish Kini, Ismail Kodibengre, Prashanth Jattan and Nagesh Kumar Udyavar.
Hundreds of activists from various organisations also took part in the march and public meeting.
The demonstration formed part of a broader campaign against the SIR process, with participating groups seeking greater accountability in electoral administration and assurances that eligible voters would not lose their democratic rights during the revision of electoral rolls.
The Election Commission's revision process and the protesters' demands remain distinct matters: the demonstration conveyed the groups' objections, while their allegations about the impact on voters' rights require assessment against the official electoral procedures and records.