Hundreds demand removal of Gyanesh Kumar at anti-SIR protest in Hyderabad

People staged a protest in Hyderabad on Sunday against alleged voter erasure and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls organized by People Against SIR. | Photo credit: RAMAKRISHNA G.

Against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the alleged illegal deletion of more than 13 lakh voters across the country in the process, hundreds from minority communities along with representatives of voluntary organizations staged a demonstration at Dharna Chowk here on Sunday.

Organized by ‘People Against SIR’, an amalgamation of various socio-political, student and civic organisations, the main demand was for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

“We should not only demand the removal of Gyanesh Kumar, but also respect for the constitution and freedom of speech. Citizens elect leaders and citizens form the government, but now leaders elect citizens,” said political scientist and human rights activist G. Haragopal.

Noting how the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government had changed the Election Commission of India (ECI) rules, Mr. Haragopal questioned the need for the SIR and demanded urgent reforms in the ECI.

People staged a protest in Hyderabad on Sunday against alleged voter erasure and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls organized by People Against SIR. | Photo credit: RAMAKRISHNA G.

Activists, students and families, including children, waved the tricolor and held placards as they formed a human divide along the narrow Indira Park-Dharna Chowk road while allowing vehicles to pass. Protest tents occupied almost half of the road. Their posters included slogans, poems, memes and cartoons.

Some of them read: “SIR is tantamount to suppression of India’s rights”; “Gyanesh (adj.): The guy who steals votes for Modi”; “ECI is the Electoral College of India”; and “EVM is every vote for Modi”.

While one protester carried a poster of Andhra Pradesh revolutionary leader Alluri Sitaram Raju, banners held by two burqa-clad women read: “Gyanesh, it’s done bro” and “Gyanesh Miya, Baigan batan nakko! Isteefa kab tak dere”.

Several leaders spoke from a small platform facing nearly 500 people who were seated or scattered throughout the area. According to the Students Islamic Organization of India, the BJP and its government were determined to make “every community except Hindus second-class citizens in the country”.

The leader pointed out that some BJP leaders even brazenly said, “Vote for anyone, but only BJP will vote.

Amid rhythmic slogans and waving flags, speakers and the crowd raised cries of “Inquilab Zindabad” (long live the revolution) with each demand.

Published – 25 Oct 2026 20:12 IST