Many activists, student leaders and public figures, including Prashant Bhushan, Prakash Raj and Aishe Ghosh, have been invited to a march in Delhi on October 23 against Gyanesh Kumar.
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‘Har gali Jantar Mantar”: Anti-SIR protest march planned on Friday, Dipke, Bora, Prashant Bhushan among invitees; Won’t seek police nod (PTI)
Several prominent activists, student leaders, lawyers and public figures have been invited to join a march in New Delhi on Friday, October 23 to protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and demand an end to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rollsThe march, called the “People’s March to Reclaim Democracy”, has been organised by the People Against SIR platformThe organisers want Kumar removed from office, the SIR exercise scrapped and the names of eligible voters allegedly deleted from electoral rolls restored.
Among those invited are Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, student leaders Neha Bora and Aishe Ghosh, and senior advocate Prashant Bhushan.
Economist Parakala Prabhakar, actor and activist Prakash Raj, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait and author Tushar Gandhi have also been invitedPrabhakar is the husband of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The organisers have also invited the Opposition INDIA bloc to participateHowever, there was no immediate confirmation from the invited personalities about their participation when the report was filed.
March from Bangla Sahib to Election Commission Office
In Delhi, the march is planned from Bangla Sahib Gurdwara in Connaught Place to the Election Commission’s office near Patel ChowkThe organisers have said they will not seek police permission for the demonstrationsIf authorities stop the march, participants plan to hold a gathering called the “People’s Parliament” before dispersing after singing the national anthemThe platform has also called for similar marches in other parts of the country.
Its campaign slogan is “Har Gali Jantar Mantar, Har Gaon Jantar Mantar, Mera Ghar Jantar Mantar”, which calls on people to turn streets and villages into spaces for peaceful protest.
The organisers have urged police and security personnel not to use force against demonstratorsDelhi Police had not issued an immediate response to the planned march at the time of the report.
Why are protesters demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s removal?
The protest centres on the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision, an exercise to review and update electoral rolls.
People against SIR has alleged that the process is unlawful and could leave eligible citizens without voting rightsThe group wants voter lists restored to their pre-2024 versions, followed by a review involving public participation and social audits.
It has also demanded Kumar’s removal and prosecution, along with changes to the Election Commissioners Act, 2023, which provides legal protection to the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners for certain official acts.
The platform has accused Kumar of violating his constitutional responsibilitiesThese are allegations made by the organisers and have not been established as findings against the CEC.
The Election Commission and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have rejected the Opposition’s allegations concerning the SIR processBJP spokesperson Sambit Patra had previously criticised the protesters, describing them as “anarchic elements”.
What is the People’s March campaign?
People Against SIR was formed on October 14 at Surjeet Bhavan in New DelhiIt brings together organisations representing farmers, workers, women, students, Adivasis, Dalits and minority communities.
The group says its campaign is aimed at protecting voting rights and seeking changes to the electoral processApart from scrapping the SIR, its demands include restoring allegedly deleted voter names, reviewing the legal protections given to election commissioners and introducing broader electoral reforms.
The platform has also opposed the removal of Jantar Mantar’s status as a designated protest site in Delhi, arguing that citizens should have accessible spaces to demonstrate peacefully.
Earlier protests led to detentions
Several people invited to the October 23 march have previously been detainedOn October 10, Abhijeet Dipke and fellow CJP members Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained ahead of a planned protest at Jantar MantarNeha Bora, president of the All India Students’ Association (AISA), was also detained after calling on protesters to regroup at Dilli HaatAishe Ghosh and Prashant Bhushan were among those detained during demonstrations that dayThey were later released.
Earlier, on October 6, Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc MPs were detained during a march from Parliament towards the Election Commission’s office over allegations of irregularities in voter lists.
Election Commission Extends Delhi SIR Deadlines
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has extended the deadline for filing claims and objections under the SIR process in Delhi to October 30The deadline for disposing of notices, claims and objections has been extended to November 30, while the final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on December 4, according to official announcements.
The extension gives voters additional time to check their registration details and seek corrections or inclusion in the electoral rolls.
The Election Commission provides online services through its official Voter Services Portal, where citizens can check their names and access voter-registration forms.
