Nagpur: The INDIA bloc has decided to intensify its campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, announcing a major protest march in Nagpur on October 8.
Leaders of the alliance’s constituent parties announced the programme at a joint press conference held at the Nagpur Press Club. Nagpur City Congress president Pratul Gudhe Patil said the protest would be part of a nationwide campaign being organised by the INDIA bloc from October 2 to 8.
As part of the campaign, opposition leaders and workers will take out a march from Variety Square to the Nagpur Collectorate at 10 am on Thursday, October 8.
The INDIA bloc leaders alleged that the SIR exercise could lead to large-scale changes in electoral rolls and raised questions over the manner in which the voter lists are being revised.
The opposition parties have also questioned the functioning of the Election Commission and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The Nagpur protest is expected to bring together leaders and workers of various INDIA bloc constituents, who will use the march to register their opposition to the SIR exercise, changes in electoral rolls and what they described as concerns over the functioning of the poll panel.
The announcement comes amid an escalating political confrontation between the Opposition and the Election Commission over the SIR exercise, with opposition parties demanding greater scrutiny of the electoral-roll revision process.
