Anti-SIR platform calls for nationwide marches on October 23, seeks CEC's removal

People Against SIR, a newly formed nationwide platform of civil society and mass organisations, on Sunday announced countrywide marches on October 23, demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar through impeachment, scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and restoration of voting rights to all eligible citizens.

The platform, which was constituted in New Delhi on October 14, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of misusing the Election Commission (EC) and alleged that 13.41 crore citizens had lost their voting rights through the revision exercise.

In a statement, the organisation alleged that Kumar had altered statutory forms, including Form 6, without parliamentary approval to facilitate the deletion of genuine voters from electoral rolls and benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The allegations were made by the platform and have not been independently established.

"Without Parliament impeaching CEC Gyanesh Kumar, the Prime Minister cannot come out of the full-blown constitutional standoff," the statement said.

𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟯

The organisation said the October 23 mobilisation, titled the "People's March to Reclaim Democracy", would mark the beginning of a sustained nationwide campaign against the SIR and what it described as the erosion of electoral rights.

It urged citizens to participate in peaceful demonstrations carrying the national flag at district and tehsil headquarters, state capitals and the national capital.

The platform said the agitation would continue until the SIR was annulled, voting rights were restored to all eligible citizens and the Election Commissioners Act, 2023, was amended.

It also demanded Kumar's removal and prosecution, accusing him of violating his constitutional oath and undermining the independence of the Election Commission.

The organisation maintained that Parliament alone had the authority to formally amend the statutory framework governing electoral processes.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

In a significant announcement, People Against SIR said it would not seek police permission for the October 23 marches.

"The People's March to Reclaim Democracy will not request police permission anywhere," the statement said.

It warned police, paramilitary personnel and prison authorities against using force against peaceful demonstrators.

The platform said that if protesters were prevented from marching, they would organise peaceful gatherings described as "People's Parliament" to press for wider electoral reforms.

These gatherings would demand proportional representation, restrictions on money and muscle power in elections and legalisation of state funding of elections.

According to the statement, the programmes would conclude with a pledge to protect democratic rights and the singing of the national anthem.

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿

The organisation also criticised the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site in Delhi and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the order.

It accused Delhi Police of sexually harassing women protesters and journalists and unlawfully placing individuals under house arrest during demonstrations.

These allegations were not independently verified.

The platform maintained that restrictions on peaceful assemblies and public demonstrations were undermining citizens' democratic rights.

𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀

People Against SIR was formed on October 14 at Surjeet Bhavan in New Delhi as an all-India coalition bringing together organisations representing farmers, workers, women, youngsters, students, Adivasis, Dalits and minorities.

At its formation, the platform rejected proposals to modify or rectify the SIR process, insisting that the exercise should be scrapped entirely.

It demanded the restoration of electoral rolls to their pre-2024 versions, public audits of voter lists and action against officials allegedly responsible for wrongful deletions.

The organisation said its October 23 demonstrations would bring together farmers, workers, daily-wage earners, traders, journalists, lawyers, teachers, employees, artists, students and representatives of marginalised communities.

It described the upcoming marches as its first major ground-level mobilisation and said the campaign would continue until the voting rights of all eligible citizens were restored.

The Election Commission's response to the platform's latest allegations was not included in the statement.