The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the People Against SIR platform have called for nationwide protests on Friday against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, demanding the restoration of voting rights of those deleted from voter lists and the removal and prosecution of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The protests will be held at district and tehsil headquarters, state capitals and in Delhi, where People Against SIR has called for a march to the Election Commission's office.
SKM demands scrapping of SIR, restoration of voting rights
The SKM, which spearheaded the 2020-21 agitation against the three central farm laws, said its member organisations would submit memorandums to President Droupadi Murmu through district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates.
The farmers' body has demanded the scrapping of the SIR exercise and restoration of voting rights to 13.41 crore citizens allegedly deleted from electoral rolls.
It has also sought an amendment to the 2023 law governing the appointment of election commissioners to include the Chief Justice of India in the selection panel. Other demands include proportional representation and state funding of elections.
The SKM also demanded action over alleged police excesses against protesters, including women students and journalists, and the revocation of the order denotifying Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site.
The organisation warned that farmers would come forward to protect protesters if the government continued to suppress demonstrations.
People Against SIR plans march to Election Commission office
People Against SIR said more than 300 organisations had joined the platform, with protests planned across 25 states and Union territories.
In Delhi, participants will assemble near Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Gol Dak Khana and Gol Market at 1 pm before marching to the Election Commission office and holding a “People's Parliament”.
The platform said the march would mark the beginning of a united struggle until Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was prosecuted, the SIR exercise scrapped, the voting rights of genuine citizens restored and the Election Commissioners Act, 2023, amended.
Organisers said protesters would carry the national flag and, if stopped by police, hold a peaceful gathering to reaffirm their commitment to democratic rights.
Jairam Ramesh accuses Centre of spreading lies over ‘vote theft’
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of attempting to divert attention by spreading what he called lies.
In a post on X, Ramesh claimed that more than 10 crore Indians faced the risk of losing their constitutional right to vote, citing what he described as Election Commission data.
He alleged that the ECI had altered Form 6 to create barriers for new voters and that Form 7 had been widely misused for targeted deletions.
Ramesh also accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of using ECINET to centralise control of electoral rolls and override legal safeguards.
“Vote Chori is a proven reality,” he said, alleging that the Prime Minister's political ecosystem was acting out of desperation and nervousness.
He added that protests were continuing despite what he described as repression by the ruling dispensation.
Amit Shah hits back at Congress, targets Rahul Gandhi
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday accused Rahul Gandhi of raising “vote theft” allegations to protect the vote bank of infiltrators.
Addressing a gathering in Delhi, Shah dismissed the Congress's questions about the neutrality of the Election Commission of India, accusing the party of blaming democratic institutions whenever it loses elections.
“I want to tell Rahul Gandhi that you want to save the votes of infiltrators by levelling allegations of vote theft,” Shah said.
Taking aim at the Congress's electoral record, he said the party had failed to win in several states for decades, a trend that began before Narendra Modi became Prime Minister.
“The way you are pursuing negative politics, I want to tell you that you will not be able to win elections even by 2030,” Shah said.
He also warned AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal that his party would be “rooted out” of Punjab.
Opposition protests precede nationwide demonstrations
Shah's remarks came after INDIA bloc leaders and supporters, led by Rahul Gandhi, protested against alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise.
The SKM and People Against SIR have now called for demonstrations across the country on Friday, demanding the restoration of voting rights to those allegedly removed from electoral rolls and action against the Chief Election Commissioner.
