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Anti-SIR protests on October 23: Neha Bora, Prakash Raj, Dipke among participants

hellohimachalse@gmail.com 22 Oct 2026 1 hour ago

New Delhi: Economist Parakala Prabhakar, actor-activist Prakash Raj, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke and student leader Neha Bora are among those expected to participate in nationwide protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls on Friday, October 23.

The demonstrations are being organised by the People Against SIR alliance, which has called on citizens to hold protests in their localities under the slogan, ‘Har haath mein Tiranga, har gali mein Jantar Mantar’ (A Tricolour in every hand, a Jantar Mantar in every street).

The campaign seeks to build opposition to the voter list revision exercise and demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The organisers have described the demonstrations as a people’s march to restore democracy.

Who will join the October 23 anti-SIR protests?

Apart from Prabhakar, Prakash Raj, Dipke and Bora, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, author Tushar Gandhi and student leader Aishe Ghosh have also been invited to participate in the protests.

Prabhakar, an economist and author who has frequently criticised the Centre’s economic policies, announced his participation ahead of the march. He has previously spoken against the SIR exercise, raising concerns about its implications for voting rights.

The alliance has also appealed to parties in the Opposition INDIA bloc to join the demonstrations. However, their participation in the October 23 protests has not been confirmed.

The organisers have urged people to take the campaign beyond major cities and stage demonstrations in their own neighbourhoods. The plan comes amid a series of protests against the Election Commission’s voter list revision exercise in recent weeks.

What is the SIR row, and why is Jantar Mantar in focus?

The Special Intensive Revision is an exercise undertaken by the Election Commission to revise electoral rolls. Critics of the process have raised concerns about eligible voters being left out of the lists, particularly among vulnerable communities. The alliance has alleged that the exercise could deprive people of their voting rights and is demanding that it be scrapped.

The planned demonstrations also come amid restrictions on protests in central Delhi. Delhi Police recently withdrew the designation of Jantar Mantar as an authorised protest site, prompting questions about where demonstrators can assemble in the national capital.

The latest call follows protests by CJP and Opposition groups against the SIR exercise and the Election Commission. Dipke and Bora were among those detained during a previous protest in Delhi before being released.

The October 23 campaign is an attempt by the People Against SIR alliance to mobilise wider public participation, with demonstrations planned across the country rather than being limited to the national capital.

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