Bengaluru: A coalition of activists and civil society organizations under the banner “My Vote, My Right” has urged the Congress-led Karnataka government to formally oppose the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, warning that the process could lead to large-scale exclusion of vulnerable communities from voter lists.
According to Kashmir24, at a press conference in Bengaluru, members of the collective criticized both the design and implementation of the SIR exercise, saying it has raised concerns in several states and union territories where it has been rolled out. They also flagged issues with the ongoing voter roll mapping exercise in Karnataka.
The coalition demanded that the State government pass a resolution against the SIR in both the Assembly and the Council during the upcoming budget session. They called on the Congress government to take a clear and firm stand against what they described as a process that risks mass disenfranchisement.
Clifton D’Rozario, National Vice President of the All India Central Council of Trade Unions, argued that the revision process is arbitrary and inconsistently applied across states. “They are making it as difficult as possible for people to get on the electoral rolls,” he said.