Civil society rejects SIR draft rolls in Karnataka, plans EC Chalo protest
Karnataka-based civil society groups reject the Special Intensive Revision rolls and announce an Election Commission Chalo campaign on Sep 1, seeking court intervention. They demand EC resignations and allege the revision process is unscientific and undemocratic.
Key takeaways
- Civil society groups in Karnataka reject the SIR draft electoral rolls and plan a district-wide Election Commission Chalo campaign on September 1.
- They demand the resignation of the Election Commission, including the Chief Election Commissioner, and intend to approach courts to halt the revision.
- Organisers accuse the process of inadequate preparation, with concerns about deletions of voters who moved or were labeled absent, and misclassification under 'Others'.
What Happened
In Karnataka, civil society organisations rejected the draft electoral rolls published after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The groups announced an Election Commission Chalo campaign scheduled for September 1 and said they would seek court intervention to halt the revision process. They also called for the resignation of the Election Commission of India, including Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The press conference was led by actor Prakash Raj, who represented the coalition of groups, at the Press Club in Bengaluru. The plan involves holding press conferences in every district from the coming week to mobilise voters affected by the SIR and presenting affected voters as witnesses to the perceived flaws in the revision.
The organisations involved include Eddelu Karnataka, Muslim Muthahade Mahaz, Namma Mata Namma Hakku Vedike, Active Bangalore and Nagarika Mata Kavalu Samithi. The groups pledged to appear before the Election Commission with voters they described as living witnesses to illustrate what they say are shortcomings in the revision process.
Central concerns revolve around deletions among voters classified as absent or shifted, with claims that such individuals should have had an opportunity to prove continued eligibility rather than being forced to re-enrol. They also alleged that voters who changed addresses or moved residence were deleted instead of being allowed to transfer their votes. The groups questioned the classification of voters under the “Others” category, which they say includes people who received enumeration forms but did not submit them. While they did not object to deletions under the “Dead” and “Duplicate” categories, they asserted that errors existed in those categories as well. They argued the process lacked adequate preparation, trained officials, and proper communication with voters, and they criticized the scale and timeline of the exercise.
The organisers clarified that their critique targets the Election Commission, not the Chief Electoral Officer or Booth Level Officers involved in implementing the SIR.
Why It Matters
The protest signals rising unease over how the SIR revision was conducted and raises questions about voter eligibility and the integrity of the draft rolls ahead of elections. If the campaign gains traction and leads to court action or disruption to the revision timetable, it could affect the timing and execution of the electoral rolls in Karnataka.
Background
The draft rolls were released after the Special Intensive Revision, a process that civil society groups say was carried out with insufficient preparation, communication, and staffing. The groups have previously argued for more transparent procedures to ensure that voters who have moved or changed addresses can update their details without losing eligibility. The next Assembly election is cited by the groups as the context for their emphasis on timely and accurate voter lists.
Key Facts
- Civil society organisations in Karnataka rejected the SIR draft electoral rolls published after the Special Intensive Revision.
- They announced an Election Commission Chalo campaign for September 1 and planned district-level press conferences starting from the following day.
- They demanded the resignation of the Election Commission of India, naming Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- The groups include Eddelu Karnataka, Muslim Muthahade Mahaz, Namma Mata Namma Hakku Vedike, Active Bangalore and Nagarika Mata Kavalu Samithi.
- Prakash Raj spoke at a press conference at the Press Club in Bengaluru on behalf of the groups.
- The groups claim deletions occurred for voters listed as absent or shifted and allege these voters should have been allowed to prove continued eligibility rather than re-enrol.
- They also argue that voters moved to new addresses were deleted instead of transferred, and that the “Others” category includes people who received forms but did not submit them.
- They say the process lacked preparation, trained officials, and proper communication, and that it involved more than five crore voters being revised in one month with a two-year window before the next Assembly election.
- They stated their criticism is aimed at the Election Commission, not at the Chief Electoral Officer or Booth Level Officers involved in implementing SIR.
What Happens Next
The groups plan to mobilise voters affected by the revision in districts and to present witnesses to the EC during protests. They intend to pursue court action to halt the revision and seek the commission’s resignation, though any further steps will depend on legal proceedings and responses from authorities.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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