CM DK Shivakumar demands arrest of CEC

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India - Karnataka's Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has called for the immediate arrest and dismissal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, amid a political controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Shivakumar urged for a re-verification process. The Karnataka Congress staged a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru to oppose the Election Commission and CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao also criticized the Election Commission's credibility and demanded steps to protect democratic institutions. Former Karnataka Minister HK Patil alleged violations of democratic norms and demanded the CEC's immediate resignation. The protests followed an investigative report by the Indian Express, which revealed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections multiple times over a 10-month period.