Pics: Nayana J C
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (NJC)
Mangaluru, Oct 31: Actor and activist Prakash Raj on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that the hurried and arbitrary exercise could deprive lakhs of eligible citizens of their fundamental right to vote.
He called for collective action cutting across political party lines to safeguard democracy and ensure transparency in the electoral process.
Addressing a press conference in Mangaluru, Prakash Raj questioned the Election Commission’s decision to undertake an extensive voter verification exercise involving more than five crore voters within a short span of just one month.
He termed the timeline impractical and warned that such hurried implementation could result in genuine voters being unnecessarily excluded from the electoral rolls.
He expressed concern over the classification of voters under categories such as Absent, Shifted, Dead and Duplicate (ASDDO), pointing out that several genuine voters were being placed in these categories. He questioned why ordinary citizens should be forced to stand in queues, produce documents and repeatedly prove their eligibility to exercise a right they already possess.
Highlighting the difficulties faced by vulnerable communities, he said the exercise could disproportionately affect the poor, working class, slum dwellers, nomadic communities, minorities, Dalits and Adivasis. Many among these groups may lack the necessary documents or resources to respond to sudden official notices within stringent deadlines.
Questioning the rationale behind the so-called ‘logical discrepancies’ cited during voter verification, Prakash Raj said the authorities had failed to adequately address concerns raised by opposition parties. Referring to Bengaluru and other urban centres, he pointed to the large number of voters facing discrepancies and questioned the credibility of the verification process.
He also questioned claims that foreign nationals from countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh were appearing on voter lists, arguing that such cases should not become a justification for subjecting crores of Indian citizens to difficulties in retaining their voting rights.
Raising concerns over the appointment of Election Commissioners, he stressed the need for a transparent and independent selection mechanism to ensure the neutrality of constitutional institutions. He also called for greater accountability from democratic institutions, including the judiciary, and criticised what he described as attempts to suppress dissent and intimidate journalists, media organisations and independent voices.
Prakash Raj further criticised the country’s political leadership, alleging that constitutional institutions were being weakened and those questioning the government were being targeted. He maintained that democratic accountability could not be replaced by avoiding difficult questions or restricting public criticism.
Emphasising that voting rights are central to democracy, he urged citizens, civil society organisations and political parties to come together, setting aside ideological and political differences, to oppose any arbitrary changes to electoral rolls.
"Eligible citizens should not have to run from office to office to reclaim a right that already belongs to them," he asserted, warning that people would not remain silent if their democratic rights were threatened.
He called upon the public to remain vigilant and united in protecting electoral integrity, constitutional values and the right of every eligible Indian citizen to vote.