Congress Protest Against SIR Of Voter List Continues In Bhopal, Police Use Water Cannons | VIDEO

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Congress protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list continued in Bhopal on Monday, with party workers marching towards the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office to raise objections over the electoral roll verification process. Led by Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Jitu Patwari, the protesters attempted to surround the CEO office during the demonstration.

A scuffle broke out between police personnel and Congress workers during the protest. Some workers climbed over the barricades placed outside the CEO office. Police used water cannons to disperse the protesters and bring the situation under control.

The protest followed a report published by The Indian Express, which claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised at least 14 objections in the past 10 months over certain decisions related to electoral rolls and the SIR process. The Election Commission later stated that its decisions were taken unanimously.

Senior Congress leaders attend meeting outside PCC office

Before the protest at the CEO office, the Congress organised a public meeting outside the PCC office in Bhopal. Several senior Congress leaders attended the gathering and discussed concerns related to the SIR process and voter list verification.

During the protest, veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said, "The hotel is not accepting their proposal. This is, in itself, a case of centralisation, which has come before us with evidence. The authority and power of the ERO, which ensured the impartiality of our Election Commission, has now become powerless, and the entire authority has gone to the Central Election Commission. Lakhs of people have raised objections. The Hon'ble Supreme Court has also constituted tribunals for this."

Those present in the protest included former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Singh, former MP Rameshwar Neekhra, P C Sharma, former minister Vijaylaxmi Sadho, Mukesh Nayak, Ravi Joshi, Sanjay Kamle, MLA Siddharth Kushwaha, Shobha Ojha, Vicky Patel and J P Dhanopia.

The Congress has been opposing the SIR process, raising concerns over its impact on voters and the electoral roll verification exercise. Party leaders said the protest was aimed at highlighting their concerns before election authorities.