Hyderabad: Actor and social activist Prakash Raj addressed a protest at Dharna Chowk in Hyderabad on Saturday, October 3, where demonstrators demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and an immediate halt to the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Prakash Raj urged citizens to question the SIR exercise, protect their voting rights and seek accountability from the authorities.
His remarks came amid controversy surrounding an investigation by The Indian Express, which reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections on multiple occasions over decisions related to the SIR process. The report said the two commissioners had objected at least 14 times over a 10-month period.
Addressing the gathering, Prakash Raj criticised Gyanesh Kumar and alleged that the electoral roll revision amounted to an attack on democratic rights. His comments were made in the context of the ongoing political and civil-society protests over the SIR exercise.
He called on citizens to secure their right to vote and preserve relevant records concerning the electoral roll revision.
The protest in Hyderabad ended after police personnel asked the demonstrators to leave, citing the completion of the allotted time for the gathering, according to reports.
The SIR controversy has led to protests and legal challenges in several parts of the country. The Election Commission has also ordered special drives in states where the exercise has been completed to enrol eligible voters who may have been left out.
