Dhruv Rathee, Prakash Raj Join CJP's People's Tribunal in Bengaluru Over SIR

A People's Tribunal on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is being held at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on October 8, 2026, with YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, actor-activist Prakash Raj and Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke among those participating.

The event has been organised amid protests and public debate over the SIR exercise. Organisers say people from different parts of Karnataka who believe they were affected by changes to the electoral rolls will present their concerns at the tribunal.

Dhruv Rathee and Prakash Raj to Participate

Prakash Raj announced his participation and appealed to citizens to join the Bengaluru programme. He said people who consider themselves affected by SIR, along with youth organisations and civil-society groups, would participate.

Dhruv Rathee subsequently confirmed that he would attend the event. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and co-convener Ashutosh Ranka are also associated with the programme.

People's Tribunal to Hear Voter-Roll Concerns

The People's Tribunal is intended to provide a platform for individuals who claim that their names were wrongly removed from electoral rolls during the SIR exercise.

CJP representatives have said they will interact with people from Karnataka who allege that they were affected by voter-list deletions. These claims are being raised by the organisers and participants and have not been independently established by the tribunal itself.

The programme comes amid a wider national debate over electoral-roll revision, with political parties and civil-society groups raising different concerns about the process.

Chappal Protest Also Planned

Following the People's Tribunal, the CJP is holding a symbolic “chappal protest” at Freedom Park. Organisers have linked the protest to concerns over women's safety.

The event is part of the CJP's broader mobilisation involving youth organisations and civil-society groups.

Demands Over SIR

CJP and associated groups have demanded that electoral-roll deletions they consider wrongful be cancelled and that earlier electoral rolls be retained.

The groups have also demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging irregularities in the electoral-roll revision process. These are demands and allegations made by the protesting groups and should be distinguished from established findings.

Wider Opposition Protest Against Gyanesh Kumar

The Bengaluru programme comes at a time of heightened political activity around the Election Commission and SIR.

In Delhi, Congress and other INDIA bloc leaders have been protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Rahul Gandhi said the Opposition would continue its protest until Kumar resigns. The protests have resulted in multiple detentions as Opposition leaders attempted to reach designated protest locations.

The Congress has also called on its State units to observe protests over the detention of Opposition leaders in Delhi, adding to the wider political mobilisation around the issue.

Bengaluru Becomes Another Centre of SIR Debate

The Freedom Park programme brings together public figures, activists, youth groups and people who say they have been affected by the electoral-roll revision.

The People's Tribunal is intended to document participants' experiences and concerns, while the subsequent chappal protest is being presented by organisers as a symbolic demonstration linked to women's safety.

The Bengaluru event adds another dimension to the ongoing national debate over the SIR exercise and electoral-roll changes.

Expert View

The Bengaluru programme reflects the wider public and political debate surrounding electoral-roll revision. The allegations of wrongful deletions raised by protesters remain claims that can be examined through the Election Commission's procedures and other appropriate legal or administrative mechanisms.