Prakash Raj demands scrapping of SIR, calls on citizens to ‘hit the streets’

Urging the citizens to “hit the streets” against the disenfranchisement of over 13 crore voters using the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, actor-activist Prakash Raj has said the SIR process was “an attempt to kill democracy, destroy the Constitution and take away the right to vote from citizens.”

Addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, Keralam, on Wednesday (October 7, 2026), Mr. Prakash Raj demanded that the SIR be scrapped, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar be forced to resign, and all those behind the SIR process be held accountable.

“This fight is not about political parties. This is a movement in which every citizen of the country should come to the streets. Citizens usually decide the government. Why is the government now deciding who gets to vote? Those who lost their voting rights include Adivasis, daily-wage labourers, Dalits, Muslims, Christians and other minorities,” he said.

Speaking of his travels across 23 districts in Karnataka in recent weeks to gauge the effect of the SIR on the ground, he narrated several instances of meeting underprivileged voters who were “illegally removed” from the voter’s list using the SIR. He said hundreds of these “victims” of SIR will participate in a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Thursday.

‘Exclusionary’ process

He said that when the voter’s lists were prepared soon after Independence, the aim was to include every single citizen as a voter, “unlike the exclusionary SIR process being undertaken now.”

“How many even had papers back then, after Independence? The SIR process was carried out with much haste in several States. Over 38 lakh appeals arising out of SIR in West Bengal are still pending in 19 tribunals. They are now saying the tribunals will take 12-15 years to clear these appeals. Citizens who have been wrongly deleted will not be able to vote for the next few elections. Not only Gyanesh Kumar, who pulled the trigger, but (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi and (Home Minister) Amit Shah who ordered pulling the trigger should be held accountable,” he said.

Act rollback sought

Mr. Prakash Raj also demanded a rollback of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, as per which the Union government has a majority say in the selection of the Election Commissioners.

“Why was the Chief Justice of India removed from the selection process? You can select whomever you want, and you have (selected) too. Why did you give judicial immunity to the CEC even after retirement?” he asked.