Karnataka CM to lead Congress MLAs to Delhi protest over voter roll revision

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the Congress delegation would march to the national capital to voice concerns over the electoral roll revision process currently underway in the state. The special intensive revision, commonly referred to as SIR, has drawn criticism from the ruling party, which contends that the exercise has disenfranchised a significant portion of the state's electorate.

According to Shivakumar's statement, the removal of 10 million voters from Karnataka's electoral rolls raises serious questions about the methodology and transparency of the revision process. The Congress leadership argues that such large-scale deletions without adequate verification procedures undermine democratic participation and warrant urgent intervention from the Election Commission and central authorities.

The planned protest represents an escalation of the state Congress's opposition to the electoral roll revision. Party leaders have previously flagged concerns about potential voter disenfranchisement in various districts across Karnataka. The decision to lead legislators to Delhi underscores the party's resolve to pursue the matter at the national level and seek intervention from senior election officials.

The electoral roll revision process, intended to ensure accuracy and remove duplicate or invalid entries, has emerged as a contentious issue ahead of upcoming electoral cycles. The Congress party's move to mobilize its legislative strength suggests the issue has become a focal point of political mobilization in the state.