The INDIA bloc in Karnataka is holding a major protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Thursday (November 5) against SIR exercise of electoral rolls and CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
The opposition alliance has demanded cancellation of SIR exercise and resignation of Chief Election Commissioner saying that electoral revision process raises serious questions on democratic rights and functioning of constitutional institutions.
The demonstration started at 11 AM and will go on till 2 PM. Political parties, social organisations, student groups and youth organisations have joined the protest which is a major opposition mobilisation in Karnataka.
The protest will be organised by Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, CPI(ML) Liberation, Forward Bloc and Samajwadi Party apart from other organisations in the anti-SIR campaign.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and KPCC President B.K. Hariprasad are among those leading the demonstration. Actor-activist Prakash Raj is also protesting along with several leaders of different INDIA bloc constituents.
Speaking at the demonstration B.K. Hariprasad said that opposition agitation would continue till Gyanesh Kumar resigned from his post and called Bengaluru gathering a continuation of November 1 INDIA bloc protest at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi where opposition leaders had raised similar issues over electoral revision exercise.
Hariprasad also said the campaign won’t be limited to Bengaluru. “District level protests are being organised across Karnataka and in the coming days movement will reach taluk and block levels,” he said.
#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: The INDIA bloc holds a state-level protest rally at Freedom Park, demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral roll manipulation. Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao also present there. https://t.co/myBM2ruNtN
— ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2026
INDIA Bloc Raises Three Major Demands
The opposition alliance has put several demands before the EC and central government to scrap the SIR exercise in progress, demand resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and make appointment process of CEC more democratic.
CPI(M) Karnataka state secretary K. Prakash said the selection procedure for the Chief Election Commissioner should follow the Supreme Court directions and withdrawal of law which gives permanent immunity to CEC should be demanded.
The INDIA bloc has said the electoral roll revision should be done transparently and that eligible citizens should not lose their voting rights. It accused BJP and RSS of misusing constitutional institutions (which is part of its wider political campaign).
Protest Movement to Expand Across Karnataka
The November 5 demonstration is another phase of the INDIA bloc’s nationwide campaign against SIR process. “After Delhi rally, opposition parties are trying to mobilise at state and grassroots level,” said one opposition leader.
Police have been stationed at Freedom Park to control security and order at the gathering.
Protests are planned in districts and taluks across Karnataka so the INDIA bloc is gearing up to ramp up its campaign. How things develop over the next few days will show if opposition demands gain wider support among the public and whether political pressure mounts on EC.
The controversy has put electoral transparency, voter participation and independence of constitutional institutions back in the political centre stage in India.
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