On October 23, protest groups held rallies across India against the Election Commission’s changes to voter lists, demanding that the changes stop and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resign; police detained more than 100 people during a march in New Delhi.
Organizers said the demonstrations were part of a campaign across 88 cities in 18 states. The campaign brought together farmers, students, workers, women’s groups and left-wing organizations. The dispute is over the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR.
Protesters say the revision could wrongly remove eligible voters from voter lists. In Delhi, marchers carrying national flags set out near Gole Dak Khana and headed toward the Election Commission headquarters. Police barricades stopped them near Bangla Sahib Gurdwara.
After police blocked the route, demonstrators held a “People’s Parliament” at the site, according to reports. The Election Commission says the revision is lawful and is meant to remove voters who have died, duplicate voters and other people who are not eligible. It rejects claims that a name missing from a draft voter list is permanently deleted.
Protest organizers vowed to continue their campaign. They argued that the process threatens voting rights. They called for the SIR to be scrapped.