Prakash Raj throws his weight behind Bengaluru’s “Chappal Protest”

Acclaimed actor‑activist Prakash Raj has officially announced his presence at the demonstration scheduled for 8 October at Freedom Park, Bengaluru. Organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the rally—dubbed the “Chappal Protest”—aims to draw attention to two urgent issues: the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the protection of women in public arenas.

People’s Tribunal on SIR at 10:30 a.m.

The day will kick off with a People’s Tribunal at 10:30 a.m., where voters from across Karnataka who claim they were wrongly removed from the rolls can recount their experiences. CJP co‑convener Ashutosh Ranka, founder Abhijeet Dipke and spokesperson Saurav Das will moderate the session together with youth‑group leaders and representatives of civil‑society bodies.

Key complaints against the SIR drive

  • Alleged unjust deletion of eligible voters during the roll‑clean‑up.
  • Demand for immediate reinstatement of the pre‑SIR lists and reversal of the deletions.
  • Call for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to step down over alleged procedural lapses.

Protesters stress that these accusations stem from personal testimonies and have yet to be corroborated by any official audit.

Women’s safety moves to the fore

After the tribunal, the focus will shift to the safety of women. The move follows reports from a group of women journalists in Delhi who say they faced rough handling while covering protests against the Chief Election Commissioner. CJP has expressed solidarity with the journalists and urged prompt remedial action. Delhi Police, however, has denied the allegations of physical mistreatment and says the matter is under investigation.

Broader campaign and next steps

The Bengaluru gathering is part of a wider CJP‑led movement opposing the SIR exercise. Similar protests have taken place in other states, and another demonstration is slated for Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, on 10 October. Organisers continue to demand transparent handling of voter‑list revisions, an outright rejection of the SIR mechanism, and the resignation of the chief election official.

The Election Commission maintains that the roll‑revision process is intended to refresh voter records and guarantee that every eligible citizen is captured. The Freedom Park event is expected to attract a diverse mix of voters, activists, youth collectives and civil‑society participants, all seeking a public platform for their concerns.