KPCC President B K Hariprasad , Chief Minister D K Shivakumar , Former Chief Minister’s Siddaramaiah , Veerappa Miily and leaders, workers protest against SIR and demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Saturday.
He alleged 6.4 million votes were forfeited in Bihar and 9.1 million in West Bengal, with another 3.8 million voters there flagged and blocked. Karnataka, he claimed, lost 10.7 million voters from its list — 7 million tagged duplicates and 3.8 million others.
It should remain loyal to the Constitution rather than function according to the wishes of the Union govt,” he said, adding that criminal proceedings should follow if violations are established. Chief minister DK Shivakumar said he had no issue with SIR itself but wanted it kept free of political motives. “This is a democratic country, not a dictatorship,” he said, pointing out that decisions of the three-member commission were no longer being taken by majority. “No one has the right to strip the rights of citizens born in this country,” he said.
Bengaluru: Congress workers gathered at Freedom Park Saturday to protest against Election Commission ’s SIR exercise, demanding chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and arrest. Placards and slogans filled the venue as Congress functionaries accused CEC of acting against democracy and the Constitution, alleging the exercise had wiped out a large number of voters from the rolls. Former chief minister Siddaramaiah , addressing the gathering, sought President Droupadi Murmu’s intervention, calling the commission’s conduct a threat to its own autonomy. “Election Commission is a constitutional body expected to conduct elections independently, impartially and transparently. KPCC president BK Hariprasad gave the protest its sharpest edge, claiming BJP came to power in six states riding on the SIR fallout.