"It Is Not Over Until We Say It Is Over": CJP Steps Up Anti-SIR Protest In Kochi

Abhijeet Dipke urged supporters to join a protest in Kochi against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Ahead of Saturday’s event in Kerala, Dipke wrote on Instagram that “it is not over until we say it is over”.

‘Jantar Mantar at Kochi’ begins at 4 pm and organisers expect people from across Keralam to attend. The post image said, “See you at 4 pm Kochi.” Dipke added, “Gyanu must go!”

The event centres on one demand: cancellation of the SIR of electoral rolls. It also comes as the CJP keeps up pressure on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the revision process.

Event Details

The CJP began publicly promoting the rally on Thursday. In a post on X, the party wrote, “Save Democracy! Cancel SIR! Join Us - 7th November - 4 PM | Rajendra Maidan, Kochi.”

The event is being held under the banner ‘Jantar Mantar at Kochi’. CJP members in Kochi told PTI, that the rally is expected to draw participants from across Keralam, especially youngsters.

Several named figures are expected to join the march. They include actor-activist Prakash Raj, CJP national leader Afreen Nawaz and the party’s South India in-charge Vijay Reddy Mallangi.

Pressure On CEC

The CJP and the Opposition are still pressing for chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign over alleged irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls.

That pressure has continued despite last month’s police crackdown on protests. It comes just weeks after CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were arrested for entering Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, which had been denotified as a protest site.

Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc organised a protest at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1.

Election Commission Dispute

A controversy erupted after a report by The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had objected on record at least 14 times in 10 months to decisions and orders on the SIR of electoral rolls.

The report said those objections related to SIR decisions and orders that, in their view, were issued without their knowledge or recommendation. The ECI denied that charge. It told the Supreme Court that its three members took all SIR-related decisions together and rejected claims that Kumar acted alone.