Civil society groups in Karnataka launch campaign against Election Commission’s SIR
Bengaluru: More than 100 representatives from civil society organisations, political parties, trade unions, women’s groups, and student unions gathered in Bengaluru on Friday to oppose the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Karnataka.
The meeting, held at the Legislators’ Home, culminated in the adoption of a resolution to launch a state-wide campaign titled “My Vote, My Right”, aimed at resisting what participants described as an “NRC-like” process that could lead to the disenfranchisement of marginalised voters.
Speakers at the meeting drew parallels with similar revisions in Bihar, where over 6.8 million names were reportedly deleted from electoral rolls, with Dalits, Muslims, women, and migrant workers being disproportionately affected. They argued that the SIR shifts the burden of proof of eligibility onto citizens, reversing the earlier rule that required the Election Commission to justify voter deletions.
“The SIR follows the same logic as the NRC,” said Vinay Sreenivasa of Bahutva Karnataka. “It shifts the burden onto citizens and risks large-scale disenfranchisement.”
Clifton D’Rozario of the CPI(ML) Liberation said that many poor and marginalised voters do not possess the documents now sought by the ECI, such as birth certificates or matriculation certificates. Activists further expressed concern that the SIR authorises election officials to refer “suspected foreign nationals” to authorities under the Citizenship Act, 1955, a clause they said could be weaponised against minorities and the poor.
“This gives unbridled powers to local officials and can be misused against vulnerable communities,” said a joint statement issued after the meeting.
Presiding over the discussion, Indudara Honnapura, founder-member of the Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (DSS), urged mass mobilisation against the measure. “Voters choose their leaders, but now the Election Commission wants to choose the voters,” he said.
The participants urged the Karnataka government to pass a resolution against SIR, similar to Kerala’s stance opposing the NRC and CAA, and demanded that the ECI hold wider consultations with civil society organisations before implementing the process.
The round table was attended by representatives from PUCL Karnataka, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, AICCTU, AIPWA, AISA, the All India Lawyers Association for Justice, and the Students’ Federation of India, among others.
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Ready to face no-confidence motion, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Hassan (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the Congress government led by him was ready to face the no-confidence motion if moved by the opposition during the legislature session from December 8.
With Deputy CM D K Shivakumar by his side, he reiterated that they would both abide by the high command's decision on the leadership issue.
"Let them (opposition) bring in a no-confidence motion or adjournment motion or any other motion. We are ready to face it. Ours is an open book, transparent government. We are ready to face anything," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
However, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, clarified that the party, along with the JD(S) has not discussed or decided anything so far regarding moving a no-confidence motion against the government.
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The winter session of the Karnataka legislature will begin in Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, on December 8 and will go on till 19th of this month.
Not wanting to react to a question on the leadership issue, the CM said the Congress high command is very strong.
"D K Shivakumar and I will be committed to whatever the high command decides," he said.
Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC Mallikarjun Kharge till airport from Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both the CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.
