Bhubaneswar, Sept. 25 (UDN): Congress workers and police personnel faced off in Bhubaneswar on Friday as the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) attempted to march towards the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) during a protest over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The demonstration was held as part of the Congress party’s nationwide protests related to the Election Commission and the SIR exercise.

Heavy Security Around CEO Office

Police deployed around 10 platoons of personnel around the CEO office and restricted access to roads leading to the premises as a precautionary measure.

Led by OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, Congress workers marched towards the office and attempted to gherao the premises, leading to a confrontation with security personnel.

Scuffle During Protest

According to officials and witnesses, the situation resulted in pushing and shoving between protesters and police as officers tried to stop the march from reaching the CEO office. Security personnel remained stationed in the area to prevent further escalation.

Protest Over SIR Exercise

The OPCC said the protest was part of the party’s nationwide campaign concerning the Election Commission’s handling of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The Congress has called for an independent review of decisions related to the SIR exercise and has announced additional demonstrations at district collectorates on September 28.

The protests follow media reports that some Election Commissioners had raised objections regarding aspects of the SIR process. The Election Commission has continued with the revision exercise, which has become the subject of political debate in several states.