Protest Against ‘SIR’ Held Outside Election Commission Office

Kolkata, February 26: A large protest rally was held today in front of the state Election Commission office against the Special Revision List (SIR). The demonstration, called under the banner of ‘Civil Society Against SIR’, saw activists and citizens voicing strong opposition to the electoral roll revision process.

The protest march began at 2 PM from in front of the T-Board and converged at the Election Commission office. A delegation of social activists and prominent citizens submitted a deputation at the regional office of the Commission. The delegation included noted social workers Manjar Jamil, Rafayel Siddique, and Shaktiman Ghosh from the National Hawkers Federation.

The protesters demanded the immediate cancellation of the SIR, which they termed “unconstitutional and illegal.” Speakers at the rally alleged that the SIR process was a “conspiracy” that has led to the deaths of 144 people, including 18 Block Level Officers (BLOs). They held the Election Commission responsible for these fatalities.

The civil society members also accused the Commission of creating the SIR with political motives to disenfranchise voters. “Voters’ rights cannot be snatched away using a politically motivated SIR,” read one of their key demands.

The protesters called upon all conscious citizens to come forward and join the movement to protect their democratic rights. The rally witnessed a spontaneous turnout of a large number of people.