I.N.D.I.A. bloc to protest in Bengaluru on Nov 5, demands SIR rollback, CEC’s resignation

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Nov 4, 2026: The I.N.D.I.A. bloc in Karnataka will stage a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on November 5, demanding the cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Announcing the protest at a joint press conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Karnataka Congress president B.K. Hariprasad, along with leaders of the CPM, Forward Bloc and CPI(ML), said the demonstration would be a continuation of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc’s November 1 protest at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi.

Hariprasad said the alliance had decided to extend the agitation to the taluk and block levels across the country. In Karnataka, the parties would begin with a state-level protest in Bengaluru, followed by demonstrations at district and taluk levels.

He accused the BJP and RSS of attempting to undermine democracy by misusing constitutional institutions and said the agitation would continue until the Chief Election Commissioner resigned.

CPM state secretary K. Prakash said the alliance was also demanding a democratic process for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner in accordance with Supreme Court directions and the withdrawal of the law granting permanent immunity to the CEC, besides the cancellation of SIR and Kumar’s resignation.

He said the movement would be decentralised across Karnataka to protect democratic institutions and oppose what the alliance described as attempts to turn India into an authoritarian and communal Hindu Rashtra.