Full Breakdown
Bengaluru’s “People’s Tribunal”: Protest Against the Election Commission’s SIR Exercise
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On October 8 2026, the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) held a “People’s Tribunal” at Freedom Park, Bengaluru, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Founder Abhijeet Dipke, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, and actor-activist Prakash Raj addressed students, women and civil-society groups, presenting testimonies of alleged voter deletions across Karnataka and other states. The tribunal was followed by a “chappal protest” in solidarity with women.
Background & Context
The SIR exercise, conducted under the categories Absent, Shifted, Duplicate, Dead and Others (ASDDO), is meant to clean electoral rolls ahead of the next general election. Critics say the process has been used to remove large numbers of voters, particularly from marginalized communities, potentially influencing outcomes. Karnataka’s Home Minister Priyank Kharge has accused BJP leaders of filing false Form-7 applications that declared living citizens “dead.”
Timeline
- Oct 6 2026 – CJP co-convener Ashutosh Ranka announced the tribunal and the chappal protest.
- Oct 8 2026 – Tribunal held; speeches by Dipke, Rathee, Raj; video testimonies of affected voters played.
- Oct 10 2026 (scheduled) – CJP plans a larger mobilisation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Data & Statistics (Alleged)
- Dipke claimed 13 crore votes have been deleted nationwide, helping the BJP win states it previously could not.
- State-level figures cited include 70,000 West Bengal voters removed then reinstated, 65 lakh deletions in Bihar, 14 lakh additions in Uttar Pradesh, and 1 crore deletions in Karnataka.
- District example: 908 of 909 voters in Delhi’s Bela Estate settlement allegedly deleted.
These numbers are presented as allegations by protest leaders and have not been independently verified.
Official Statements & Responses
- Abhijeet Dipke called SIR a tool for “vote theft” and demanded Kumar’s resignation and an independent appointment process for election commissioners.
- Dhruv Rathee highlighted “zero transparency and zero accountability” from the Election Commission and said his participation was not aimed at “regime change.”
On-the-Ground Reports
Witnesses from various Karnataka districts testified that their names had been removed from voter lists despite being alive.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Quantitative claims vary: some sources cite 70,000 West Bengal deletions, others mention 65 lakh.
- No official data from the Election Commission has been released to confirm or refute these figures.
- Media reports note the allegations remain unverified, and the Supreme Court recently declined an interim order to suspend the CEC.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I have not come here for regime change,” — Dhruv Rathee
- “Don’t think that just because your vote is there today, you are safe. They have removed the votes of Adivasis, the poor, Muslims and minorities. They cannot kill democracy directly, so they are taking away people’s votes. Thirteen crore votes is not just a number. These are human beings. These are citizens of this country,” — Prakash Raj
- “We have three demands. First is the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, along with that, he should be booked under criminal charges and the SIR should be stopped. The last demand is that the appointment of Election Commissioner should be done independently and neutrally,” — Abhijeet Dipke
What’s Next
The CJP has scheduled a mass rally at Jantar Mantar on October 10 2026, urging citizens nationwide to join the demand for the CEC’s resignation, a criminal investigation of the SIR process, and a neutral appointment mechanism for future election commissioners. Organisers warn that further detentions of activists could intensify the protests.