Prakash Raj Alleges SIR Is 'Taking Away' Voting Rights, Says: 'You Can't Stop Us From Bringing You Down'

Actor-filmmaker Prakash Raj has criticised the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging that the exercise is being used to “snatch” the voting rights of citizens. However, the Bengaluru Central City Corporation has rejected claims that his name was deleted from the voter list, stating that his status was changed after officials confirmed that he had moved from his registered address.

In a video posted on X, Prakash Raj accused the authorities of selectively targeting voters who may not support the ruling establishment. He questioned whether denying voting rights to certain citizens could ultimately prevent people from democratically challenging those in power. Prakash Raj also alleged that the SIR exercise was going beyond the stated objective of cleaning and updating electoral rolls and could lead to the disenfranchisement of genuine voters. His comments come amid concerns raised by opposition parties and activists that the revision process could disproportionately affect migrant workers, students and marginalised communities.

The Election Commission, however, has maintained that SIR is intended to verify and update electoral rolls and remove inaccuracies, duplicate entries and other irregularities. The Bengaluru Central City Corporation has provided a different account of what happened to Prakash Raj's voter registration. According to the civic body, his name remained on the electoral roll at Serial Number 90, Part Number 1, of the 113-Shanthinagar Assembly Constituency when the electoral data was frozen on June 16, 2026, for SIR-related activities.

Officials said a Booth Level Officer subsequently verified his registered address at Garden Apartment, No. 266, and found that Prakash Raj had permanently moved away. Neighbours, the property manager and the flat owner reportedly confirmed that he had not lived at the property for around four years. Following the verification, officials prepared a mahazar, or spot inspection report, and marked his status as “Shifted” in accordance with Election Commission guidelines. The property manager reportedly reconfirmed the information during a phone conversation with officials on August 11.

The Corporation also said Prakash Raj himself confirmed over the phone that he no longer lived at the address recorded in the electoral roll, although he continues to reside elsewhere within the Shanthinagar constituency. Jagadish G, Additional District Election Officer (Central) and Commissioner of the Bengaluru Central City Corporation, said Prakash Raj could register his voter details at his current residence by submitting Form-6. The civic body subsequently said that the allegations made in the actor's video had been checked and were not true.

The controversy has emerged amid a broader political dispute over SIR in Karnataka, with opposition parties and activists warning that genuine voters could be wrongly removed if the verification process is not handled carefully. The Election Commission, meanwhile, has defended the exercise as a necessary step to maintain accurate and updated electoral rolls. Prakash Raj, who contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election as an independent candidate from Bangalore Central, has remained an outspoken critic of the BJP and has frequently commented on issues concerning democracy, civil liberties and federalism.

His latest remarks also come against the backdrop of other legal controversies. In June 2026, a Bengaluru court reportedly issued a non-bailable warrant against him in an alleged multiple voter ID case. He was accused of possessing voter identification cards in four states and had reportedly failed to appear before the court despite receiving two summons. The actor was also questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in 2023 in connection with a money-laundering investigation involving an alleged ₹100-crore Ponzi scheme linked to Tiruchirapalli-based Pranav Jewellers, for which he had served as a brand ambassador.

Prakash Raj's latest video received mixed reactions online. Supporters praised him for raising concerns about voting rights, while critics accused him of making unsubstantiated allegations and defended electoral roll verification as essential to preventing bogus or outdated entries. The dispute has added another layer to the debate over SIR, with the central question now being whether electoral rolls can be thoroughly updated while ensuring that legitimate voters are not inadvertently excluded from the democratic process.