{
  "id": 12858619,
  "title": "SIR Row: 'Zero Transparency, Zero Accountability From EC', Alleges YouTuber Dhruv Rathee",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/sir-row-zero-transparency-zero-accountability-from-ec-alleges",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-08T11:40:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/sir-row-zero-transparency-zero-accountability-from-ec-alleges-youtuber-dhruv-rathee"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Bengaluru witnessed a massive protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the SIR (Scrutiny of Ineligible Registrations) exercise on Thursday. YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, along with civil society groups and opposition leaders, demanded the resignation of CEC Kumar and zero transparency and accountability from the Election Commission of India (EC) over the SIR process.\n\nAddressing the protest, which took place at Freedom Park, Rathee clarified that his presence was not aimed at regime change and that he had funded his participation with his own resources. He rejected allegations that his involvement was sponsored by Elon Musk or George Soros.\n\nRathee alleged that vote theft, or \"Vote Chori,\" affects every citizen regardless of their political affiliation. He emphasized that regardless of whether one supports the BJP, Congress, or any other party, the issue of legitimate voter registration should concern all citizens. He also highlighted instances in West Bengal, where around 70,000 voters were removed from the electoral rolls before an election and later added after the results, and in Bihar, where 65 lakh names were removed without disclosing the affected individuals' names and addresses until the Supreme Court ordered the information to be made public.\n\nSimilar discrepancies were reported in Uttar Pradesh, where 14 lakh voters were added to the electoral rolls but their names were not disclosed, and in Goa, where the Election Registration Officers wanted to add 100 names but were unable due to a lack of software provisions. Rathee blamed the EC for adding and removing names at will, noting that everything was being done according to someone's wishes.\n\nHe encouraged attendees to repeat the slogans \"Vote thief, leave the seat\" and \"Bharat Mata ki Jai\" to demonstrate to the world the protest against the EC's actions.",
  "summary": "Bengaluru: YouTuber Dhruv Rathee on Thursday demanded the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and alleged that there was \"zero transparency and zero accountability from the EC,\" over the SIR exercise. Addressing a protest christened 'people's tribunal,' held by civil societies and the CJP at Freedom Park here against the SIR, Rathee said he took part in the agitation as an ordinary citizen and…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}