“Har Gali Mein Jantar Mantar”: Nationwide Protests Against SIR on October 23

The People Against SIR coalition has announced nationwide protests on October 23 against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Economist Parakala Prabhakar is expected to participate alongside actor and social activist Prakash Raj and Abhijit Deepke, founder of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). The campaign is being organised under the slogan “Har Gali Mein Jantar Mantar,” calling on people across the country to raise their voices in defence of democratic rights. The protesters are demanding an immediate halt to the SIR exercise and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Prabhakar has called for collective action to restore democracy, describing the protest as a people’s march. Other public figures, including senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, AISA president Neha Bora and writer Tushar Gandhi, are also reported to be associated with the planned mobilisation. The coalition alleges that around 13 crore voters have been removed from electoral rolls and claims that disadvantaged communities have been disproportionately affected. These figures and allegations represent the organisers’ claims and require independent verification. Prabhakar, who has previously criticised government policies in his book *The Crooked Timber of New India*, has also been active in Andhra Pradesh politics. He served as a communications adviser to the Andhra Pradesh government from 2014 to 2018 and resigned amid disagreements over the special-category status issue. The coalition has called for protests across the country following reported restrictions on demonstrations at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.