{"id":5971,"date":"2025-10-10T20:19:24","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T14:49:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/?p=5971"},"modified":"2025-10-10T21:10:33","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T15:40:33","slug":"karnatakas-special-intensive-revision-draws-fire-activists-demand-state-resolution-transparency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/?p=5971","title":{"rendered":"\u201cKarnataka\u2019s \u2018Special Intensive Revision\u2019 Draws Fire: Activists Demand State Resolution, Transparency\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2018My Vote, My Right\u2019: Karnataka Civil Groups Unite Against SIR Amid Fears of Voter Deletions and Democratic Erosion<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Civil society warns of mass disenfranchisement under Election Commission\u2019s Special Intensive Revision; calls it \u2018NRC in disguise\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Bengaluru, Oct. 10, 2025: <\/strong>A coalition of civil society groups, political representatives, rights activists, writers, and student organisations have come together in Bengaluru to oppose the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)<\/strong> of electoral rolls announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI). At a packed round table meeting held at the Legislators\u2019 House [LH], the participants unanimously condemned the move and launched a statewide campaign titled \u2018My Vote, My Right\u2019<\/strong>, vowing to resist what they describe as an \u201cundemocratic and exclusionary exercise\u201d reminiscent of the National Register of Citizens (NRC)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A Rising Storm Over Voting Rights<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Speakers at the meeting warned that the SIR, being implemented in Karnataka for the first time, could lead to mass deletion of voter names<\/strong> and potential disenfranchisement of marginalized communities<\/strong>, including Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, women, and migrant workers.<\/p>\n

The participants expressed shock that, under the new guidelines, even the Voter ID issued by the ECI itself is not considered valid<\/strong> proof in the revision process. Critics allege that the procedure mirrors the CAA-NRC framework<\/strong>, transferring the burden of proof from the state to the citizen and thereby threatening India\u2019s long-cherished principle of universal adult suffrage<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The ECI\u2019s 2025 SIR manual reportedly allows Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to refer \u201csuspected foreign nationals\u201d to authorities under the Citizenship Act, 1955<\/strong>\u2014a clause activists say opens the door for arbitrary exclusions and harassment.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\u201cCivil Society Warns SIR is \u2018NRC in Disguise\u2019; Calls for Statewide Resistance in Karnataka\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Media Updates: +91-93531 21474 [WhatsApp] | indianowme@gmail.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cNRC Under Another Name\u201d: Advocates Sound the Alarm<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Advocate Vinay Sreenivasa<\/strong>, a member of Bahutva Karnataka<\/strong>, drew direct parallels between the SIR and the NRC, calling the process \u201cdeeply dangerous and unconstitutional.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThe entire basis of SIR follows the same logic as NRC. Until recently, it was the Election Commission\u2019s duty to prove that a voter is ineligible. Now, the burden falls on citizens to prove they are eligible. This reversal could lead to harassment and mass disenfranchisement of the poor and marginalized,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Sreenivasa added that the ECI appears to have become \u201ca tool of the ruling government,\u201d alleging that the new process could selectively decide who remains on the voter list based on political loyalties.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThe government could now determine who is a voter and who is not. This is not voter purification\u2014it\u2019s voter manipulation,\u201d he cautioned.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Drawing attention to Bihar\u2019s recent experience, he said that the SIR process there led to the deletion of over 6.8 million voters<\/strong>, mostly from marginalized sections. \u201cKarnataka must not repeat Bihar\u2019s mistake,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n

Echoes of Assam and the Fear of \u2018Hindu Rashtra\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sreenivasa also cautioned that the SIR framework aligns with the ideological push towards a \u201cHindu Rashtra<\/strong>,\u201d warning of its long-term implications for citizenship.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIn Assam, countless Muslims born and raised there were declared doubtful voters. The same logic is being quietly implemented nationwide under different names,\u201d he said.
\u201cThis is not an administrative exercise\u2014it\u2019s a political project to decide who belongs and who does not.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

Advocate Manavi: \u201cSIR Undermines Universal Franchise\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Advocate Manavi<\/strong>, addressing the gathering, called the SIR a direct assault on India\u2019s democratic foundations<\/strong>, as it shifts power from citizens to the Election Commission.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThe right to vote is not a privilege\u2014it\u2019s a constitutional guarantee. The SIR overturns this logic by making citizens prove their citizenship again, rendering even Voter IDs meaningless,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

She noted that the SIR mirrors the Citizenship Amendment-NRC (CNRC)<\/strong> model, where proof requirements vary based on year of birth, potentially excluding millions.<\/p>\n

Citing Bihar\u2019s data, Manavi pointed out that only 30,000 out of 6.5 million deleted voters<\/strong> could appeal against their removal\u2014\u201ca chilling example of how administrative rules can erase democratic rights.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThe Election Commission\u2019s independence is already under strain, as seen in the electoral bonds case. If it now decides who is a valid voter, democracy itself is at risk,\u201d she warned.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Manavi urged the Karnataka government to emulate Kerala<\/strong> by passing a legislative resolution rejecting the SIR<\/strong>, saying, \u201cIf some states show courage, others will follow. This can become a national movement to defend democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n

She also announced that the \u2018My Vote, My Right\u2019<\/strong> coalition will soon launch a coordinated awareness campaign across Karnataka, uniting citizens, unions, and civil rights groups to safeguard the right to vote.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\u201cRight to Vote Under Threat: Activists Launch \u2018My Vote, My Right\u2019 Campaign Against SIR\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Bihar\u2019s Bitter Lesson: A Warning for Karnataka<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Clifton D\u2019Rozario<\/strong>, State Secretary of the CPI(ML) Liberation<\/strong>, recounted Bihar\u2019s experience with SIR, calling it a \u201chumanitarian and democratic disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cAround 68 lakh names were deleted. Women, Dalits, Muslims, and migrant workers were the worst hit. Many had voter IDs and Aadhaar cards, but the ECI rejected them. Birth certificates, passports, and educational certificates were demanded\u2014documents most poor people don\u2019t possess,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

D\u2019Rozario described the move as a systemic exclusion of the powerless<\/strong>, adding that if the SIR continues unchecked, \u201cit will turn elections into a privilege of the documented elite.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cVoters Choose Leaders, Not the Other Way Around\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Indudara Honnapura<\/strong>, founder-member of Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (DSS)<\/strong>, who presided over the meeting, gave a rousing call for unity.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe must unite and involve all mass organisations. Voters choose their leaders, but now the Election Commission wants to choose the voters. This is an attack on democracy itself,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Honnapura urged all progressive and secular groups to come together under one banner, adding, \u201cOnly a strong, grassroots movement can stop this injustice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Rizwan Khan, Yusuf Kanhi, and Sripad Bhat: Calls for Awareness and Action<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Rizwan Khan<\/strong>, a social activist from Ballari, stressed the need for political intervention.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cOur first step should be to urge the Karnataka Assembly to pass a resolution rejecting SIR\u2014just as Kerala did. The fight begins in the legislature,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Yusuf Kanhi<\/strong>, Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (Karnataka)<\/strong>, emphasized the role of public awareness:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cOrdinary people don\u2019t know how their rights are being taken away. We must educate them. The attack on democracy begins when the common person stops caring,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Writer and intellectual Sripad Bhat<\/strong> added,<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWe saw how NRC-CAA protestors were targeted. We must be prepared, but we cannot be silent. The right to vote is the heart of every democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Bhat, echoing his earlier writings, described the SIR as \u201cadministrative exclusion cloaked in legal language,\u201d warning that it risks erasing entire communities from the political map.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\u201c\u0c95\u0cc7\u0cb0\u0cb3\u0ca6\u0c82\u0ca4\u0cc6 \u0c95\u0cb0\u0ccd\u0ca8\u0cbe\u0c9f\u0c95\u0cb5\u0cc2 \u2018\u0c8e\u0cb8\u0ccd\u200c\u0c90\u0c86\u0cb0\u0ccd\u2019 \u0ca8\u0cbf\u0cb0\u0cbe\u0c95\u0cb0\u0cbf\u0cb8\u0cac\u0cc7\u0c95\u0cc1 \u2014 \u0cb9\u0ccb\u0cb0\u0cbe\u0c9f\u0c97\u0cbe\u0cb0\u0cb0 \u0c92\u0ca4\u0ccd\u0ca4\u0cbe\u0caf\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Civil Society\u2019s Demands and Resolutions<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The meeting concluded with a series of resolutions adopted unanimously:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n

    Karnataka stands against SIR<\/strong>, calling it \u201cNRC via the back door.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    A statewide campaign, \u201cMy Vote, My Right\u201d<\/strong>, will be launched to mobilize public resistance.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    The Karnataka Legislature must pass a resolution rejecting SIR<\/strong>, ensuring that the state protects its residents\u2019 voting rights.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    The Election Commission must hold a consultative meeting<\/strong> with civil society groups and ensure transparency in voter list preparation.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  5. \n

    Voter lists must be made public<\/strong> in a digital, machine-readable format accessible to all citizens.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  6. \n

    Results of ongoing inquiries into alleged voter deletions must be made public immediately<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \n

    A Broad Coalition for Democracy\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Among the 20+ organisations that participated were PUCL Karnataka<\/strong>, CIVIC Bangalore<\/strong>, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti<\/strong>, All India Lawyers Association for Justice<\/strong>, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind<\/strong>, AICCTU<\/strong>, AIPWA<\/strong>, Slum Janandolana<\/strong>, Aware India Movement<\/strong>, Muslim Employees Federation<\/strong>, and the Students\u2019 Federation of India<\/strong>, among others.<\/p>\n

    The meeting ended with a renewed pledge:<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cOur fight is not only to protect our votes\u2014it is to protect the very soul of democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    \ud83d\udcac KEY QUOTES\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

    On the Principle of Voting Rights<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n

    \u201cThe right to vote is not a privilege \u2014 it is a constitutional guarantee. The SIR turns that guarantee into a test of identity.\u201d
    \u2014 Advocate Manavi<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    \u201cVoters choose their leaders. But now, the Election Commission seems to want to choose the voters.\u201d
    \u2014 Indudara Honnapura, DSS<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    On the Threat to Democracy<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n

    \u201cThis is not voter purification; it\u2019s voter manipulation. When governments decide who counts as a citizen, democracy itself is erased.\u201d
    \u2014 Advocate Vinay Sreenivasa, Bahutva Karnataka<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    \u201cIf citizens must prove again that they belong, what remains of our Republic? The SIR is the NRC by another name.\u201d
    \u2014 Vinay Sreenivasa<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    \u201cThe SIR is a quiet coup against the poor \u2014 an administrative act that could wipe millions off the map of democracy.\u201d
    \u2014 Clifton D\u2019Rozario, CPI(ML) Liberation<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    On Parallels with Bihar and NRC<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n

    \u201cIn Bihar, nearly seven million voters were deleted \u2014 mostly women, Dalits, and migrant workers. Karnataka must not walk the same road.\u201d
    \u2014 Clifton D\u2019Rozario<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    \u201cThe SIR repeats the logic of NRC \u2014 turning every citizen into a suspect, every vote into a question mark.\u201d
    \u2014 Sripad Bhat, Writer & Intellectual<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    On Mobilising a People\u2019s Campaign<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n

    \u201cWe must unite every mass organisation, every worker, every student. This is not just about one state \u2014 it\u2019s about saving Indian democracy.\u201d
    \u2014 Indudara Honnapura<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    \u201cOrdinary people don\u2019t yet realise how their rights are being taken away. Awareness is our first weapon.\u201d
    \u2014 Yusuf Kanhi, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (Karnataka)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    \u201cIf Kerala can reject the SIR, Karnataka must too. Silence now will cost us our future votes.\u201d
    \u2014 Rizwan Khan, Social Activist, Ballari<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    On the Call to Action<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n

    \u201cWe cannot back down. The right to vote is the heart of every democracy \u2014 and it\u2019s now under siege.\u201d
    \u2014 Sripad Bhat<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    \n

    \u201cThis movement is not just about ballots \u2014 it\u2019s about belonging. \u2018My Vote, My Right\u2019 is our collective stand for India\u2019s democratic soul.\u201d
    \u2014 Joint Resolution, My Vote My Right Coalition<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    For further information:<\/strong>
    Mavalli Shankar \u2013 98450 27463 \/ Sripad Bhat \u2013 98804 53799
    Tanveer Ahmed \u2013 98861 94492 \/ Vinay Sreenivasa \u2013 98805 95032<\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n

    <\/g><\/svg><\/i> \"Loading\"<\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    \u2018My Vote, My Right\u2019: Karnataka Civil Groups Unite Against SIR Amid Fears of Voter Deletions and Democratic Erosion Civil society warns of mass disenfranchisement under Election Commission\u2019s Special Intensive Revision; calls it \u2018NRC in disguise\u2019 Bengaluru, Oct. 10, 2025: A coalition of civil society groups, political representatives, rights activists, writers, and student organisations have come […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5972,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[233,1342,1172,75,74,1341],"class_list":["post-5971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-karnataka","tag-bihar","tag-democracy","tag-election-commission","tag-india","tag-karnataka","tag-sir"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5971","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5971"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5971\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5980,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5971\/revisions\/5980"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5971"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5971"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5971"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}