Bengaluru: YouTuber and political commentator Dhruv Rathee is expected to join a protest against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park on Thursday.
The protest, organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), is scheduled to begin at 10.30 am. Actor and activist Prakash Raj announced Rathee’s participation, calling him the event’s “special guest”. Rathee later confirmed that he would be part of the Bengaluru programme.
The organisers say the protest is aimed at highlighting concerns raised by voters over the ongoing revision of electoral rolls. They claim some people have been left out of the voter lists during the exercise and want the Election Commission to address complaints raised by affected voters.
A People’s Tribunal is planned as part of the programme, where people from different parts of Karnataka are expected to share their experiences and concerns regarding the SIR process. This will be followed by a symbolic “Chappal Protest”, according to the organisers.
Prakash Raj has appealed to people to join the demonstration in large numbers. Activists including Aishe Ghosh and Neha Bora, along with youth groups and civil society organisations, are also expected to participate.
The CJP has put forward several demands, including the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, an independent inquiry into the SIR exercise, a halt to the current revision process and restoration of the January 2025 electoral roll. The group has also questioned the system used to appoint members of the Election Commission.
The controversy over SIR has become a major political issue, with opposition parties and civil society groups raising concerns about the possible exclusion of genuine voters. The Election Commission has maintained that the revision is part of the electoral roll verification process, while the BJP has rejected allegations of wrongdoing.
The Bengaluru protest comes amid a wider campaign against the SIR exercise. CJP and student organisations are also planning a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on October 10, keeping electoral roll revisions and alleged voter exclusions at the centre of their campaign.
With Rathee’s expected appearance, Thursday’s Bengaluru protest is likely to attract considerable public and political attention.
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