Karnataka currently continues its Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, to update electoral rolls. Amid this exercise, actor Prakash Raj made a striking claim through social media. Raj said the ongoing process removed his name from Bengaluru’s voter list.
His claim emerged while Karnataka updates electoral records across the state. Authorities have flagged several electors during the SIR exercise. Officials have asked those people to verify their details. They must also complete required steps to retain inclusion on electoral rolls.
The ‘Singham’ actor shared a video note describing his experience during this process. Raj opened his remarks with sarcasm and called the situation a joke.
He said, “Friends, I want to share a joke with you.” Raj added, “I am among those 65 lakh voters who lost voting rights after SIR.” He specified that the change concerned Bengaluru constituency. Then, he remarked, “That is a good joke, isn’t it?”
Prakash Raj further highlighted his long connection with that constituency. He said, “I was born in this constituency.” Next, Raj added, “I have lived here.” His schooling, college education, and theatre journey also happened within the same area. Furthermore, he reminded viewers about his electoral history. Raj said he had also contested Lok Sabha elections from that constituency.
‘The Game Has Begun’: Actor Questions What Comes Next
Continuing the video, Raj again described the situation as a joke. He then said, “The game has begun.” According to him, he would now see which process restores his voter ID card.
Raj repeated that the “game” had started. However, he then directed a political question towards those holding power.
He argued that authorities could use their powers against citizens who might not elect them. Such action, he suggested, could deprive those people of voting rights.
However, Raj asked whether anyone could stop citizens from using their own democratic power. He specifically questioned whether people could still remove those authorities from power. Raj ended that portion with, “Just asking. Bye.”
The actor shared a 1.36-minute video through social media. Alongside the clip, he repeated his point about voting rights.
Raj wrote that some citizens might lose those rights because they may not return certain people to power. However, he again questioned whether anyone could prevent voters from removing those leaders. He ended the post with the hashtag “#justasking.”
Nearly Half of Bengaluru’s Voters Face Possible Draft Roll Exclusion
Meanwhile, almost half of Bengaluru’s registered voters could face exclusion during this process. Media reports claim nearly half may stay outside the upcoming draft electoral roll. Authorities plan to publish that list next week on August 17.
Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer V. Ambukumar also shared figures regarding flagged electors. He said officials marked 1.11 crore voters across Karnataka. According to him, Bengaluru accounts for 1.03 crore among them.
Furthermore, officials placed 49.42 lakh voters under the ASDDO category. ASDDO stands for Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate, or Other.
A report from The Indian Express also detailed removal rates across Bengaluru areas. According to that report, Bommanahalli recorded the highest rate at 57.08 percent.
Vijayanagar followed Bommanahalli in the reported ranking. Dasarahalli came next, followed by BTM Layout. C.V. Raman Nagar also appeared among areas with higher removal rates.
Beyond the SIR issue, Prakash Raj also criticised police action against protesting students in Jharkhand. He shared another social media video showing the confrontation.
The footage showed police personnel firing tear gas shells towards protesting students. It also showed officers carrying out a lathi-charge against demonstrators.
Raj expressed anger while sharing that clip. Using the “Justasking” hashtag, he wrote, “Why… why… why?” He added that people would no longer tolerate such brutality.
Finally, Raj argued that this action would only help bring down what he called arrogant power.
