Congress holds protest against CEC in Vijayapura and Belagavi - The HinduPublished - September 28, 2026 11:41 pm IST - BelagaviCongress workers burn an effigy of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Vijayapura on Monday. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTCongress members held rallies in Vijayapura and Belagavi on Monday to protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar’s alleged autocratic behaviour and unilateral decisions taken in the Election Commission of India (ECI).In Vijayapura, Congress members burnt an effigy of Mr. Kumar and sought his arrest. They walked to the Deputy Commissioner’s office and submitted a memorandum demanding a Supreme Court-monitored probe against all decisions taken by the CEC. The memorandum also sought the immediate dismissal and arrest of Mr. Kumar.Minister M.B. Patil, who led the protest, said the ECI had become a puppet in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. “Our leader Rahul Gandhi has raised questions and campaigned against ‘vote theft’ on several occasions. In our State too, protests have been held under the leadership of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, KPCC president B.K. Hariprasad, and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The Congress party is protesting across the country, highlighting this issue,” he said.Mr. Patil took serious objection to some BJP workers filing bulk third-party objections to the inclusion of names of eligible voters in Vijayapura district. “Several thousands of such bulk objections were filed here. However, due to the transparent and impartial working of the district administration, attempts at vote theft have been thwarted. Even though the applicants have now withdrawn, this remains a serious offence. Further action should be taken after seeking legal advice on the matter,” he said.DCC president Mallikarjun Loni, former MLA Raju Alagur, leader Abdul Hamid Mushrif, and City Corporation members, among others, were present.In Belagavi, Congress members sought the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.Protestors walked from Sangolli Rayanna Circle to the Deputy Commissioner’s office. They carried party flags and placards listing various demands, and raised slogans against the Election Commission. They visited the DC office to submit a memorandum and demanded a proper investigation and appropriate action regarding the alleged irregularities in the voter list revision process.“The Congress has been consistently raising objections to the SIR process in the state, expressing concern that the names of eligible voters might be dropped from the electoral rolls. Reports have surfaced regarding discrepancies in the number of Form-7 applications related to the SIR in Karnataka,” Channaraj Hattiholi, MLC, said. He said the Congress would continue its fight to safeguard the autonomy of the electoral body and protect the right to vote.He demanded a comprehensive review of the alleged irregularities in the SIR process and insisted that legal action be taken against those found guilty. Belagavi Rural Congress president Basavaraj Shiggaavi, Belagavi City Congress president Raja Salim, District General Secretary Pradeep M.J., leaders like M.T. Rathod, and Pandu Nayak, among others, were present.Published - September 28, 2026 11:41 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }