Alarm raised over SIR; cancellation sought

Activists call for Special Legislative Session to discuss voter deletion

Mysuru: Actor and activist Prakash Raj has demanded cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka, warning that the State must not be allowed to ‘become another Bengal.’

Speaking at a meeting organised by ‘SIR Virodhi Karnataka’ at RamaGovinda Rangamandira in Ramakrishnanagar yesterday evening, he said a delegation would meet the CM to demand a Special Session of the Legislature to discuss the issue.

Prakash Raj alleged that eligible voters were unjustly removed from electoral rolls in West Bengal, paving the way for a change of Government. He claimed that nearly 1.08 crore voters had already been deleted in Karnataka within a month, citing reasons such as absence or relocation.

He said, social audits conducted at 100 booths had brought to light several cases where enumeration forms had not reached households.

Referring to recent changes in electoral law, he alleged that a December 2023 law protects Election Commissioners from prosecution during and after their tenure. He also accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Jnanesh Kumar of destroying evidence.

Prakash Raj said, disenfranchisement of Muslims, Christians, tribals and the poor would undermine democracy. He said, he would press for social audits across Karnataka and pursue legal remedies.

He also announced plans for a public audit involving 10,000 people at Jantar Mantar on Oct. 15. He demanded that the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament consider an impeachment motion against Jnanesh Kumar.

The meeting was attended by retired Major General S.G. Vombatkere, CPI leader Ravi, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti leader Harihara Anandaswamy, SDPI leader Amjad Khan, activist Rati Rao, farmer leader Badagalapura Nagendra, cultural thinker Kotaganahalli Ramayya and Mysuru District Journalists’ Association (MDJA) President K. Deepak, among others.