The INDIA bloc on Thursday, 5 November 2026, staged a 'Save the Vote, Save the Nation' protest rally at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstration drew senior political leaders from across the opposition spectrum, signalling a coordinated national push against the SIR exercise.

Who Attended the Rally

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, along with state ministers, MLAs, and MPs, attended the protest. Leaders representing the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), NCP(SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), CPI(M), CPI, Samajwadi Party (SP), Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), JKPDP, CPI(ML), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), IUML, KC(M), MDMK, VCK, RSP, Kerala Congress (Joseph), and the All India Forward Bloc were also present, underscoring the breadth of opposition unity on the issue.

Siddaramaiah's Allegations Against the CEC and BJP

Addressing the gathering, former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Siddaramaiah demanded CEC Kumar's resignation, alleging that the electoral revision exercise was designed to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “Without SIR, the BJP cannot come to power, no matter what it does. The BJP cannot win by any chance in the 2029 elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is losing popularity, and his image will not remain the same in the future,” Siddaramaiah said.

He further claimed that the BJP and the RSS would be defeated in 2029 and that the Constitution and democracy would be protected. He also pointed to a 'massive' protest held in Delhi on 1 November as evidence that the agitation was gaining momentum nationwide.

Controversy Over CEC's Appointment Process

Siddaramaiah questioned the process by which Gyanesh Kumar was appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner, alleging that the selection committee's composition was altered after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He claimed the earlier committee included the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, and the Leader of Opposition, but that the government subsequently removed the Chief Justice and replaced that seat with a Union Cabinet Minister.

He noted that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had opposed both the change in committee composition and Kumar's appointment. Siddaramaiah also alleged that the BJP secured only 240 seats — short of an outright majority — in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls under the NDA, and that the ruling coalition had since adopted what he termed ‘cunning strategies’ to consolidate power.

Key Resolutions Passed at the Protest

Karnataka Congress President and MLC B.K. Hariprasad told the gathering that eligible voters were being systematically removed from electoral rolls, calling it “a conspiracy.” According to Hariprasad, protesters alleged that nearly 15 crore eligible voters could be excluded from the final voters’ list under the SIR exercise.

The protest passed resolutions demanding that the SIR exercise be scrapped on grounds that it was against democratic principles, that CEC Gyanesh Kumar resign immediately, and that the law governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner be repealed.

What Comes Next

This comes amid a broader nationwide campaign by the INDIA bloc targeting the Election Commission's credibility ahead of the 2029 general elections. The opposition's dual demand — scrapping SIR and removing the CEC — sets up a prolonged confrontation with the Centre over electoral governance. How the Election Commission and the government respond to these resolutions will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.