Sri Vijaya Puram | October 23, 2026
The Andaman and Nicobar State Committee of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) organised a mass demonstration near the Sri Vijaya Puram Municipal Council at Aberdeen Bazar on Friday evening, as part of a nationwide agitation by trade unions, farmers, youth and student organisations. The demonstration demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the scrapping of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, among other demands.
Addressing the gathering, B. Chandrachoodan, General Secretary of the CITU State Committee, explained the nationwide agitation launched by trade unions, farmers’ organisations, and student and youth groups against what they described as the large-scale removal of voters from electoral rolls through the SIR exercise. He alleged that the Modi government was suppressing democratic movements.
R. Surendran Pillai, President of the CITU State Committee, expressed concern over the removal of thousands of voters from the electoral rolls in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the SIR exercise.
The key demands of the nationwide agitation included the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, scrapping what CITU termed the illegal SIR and restoring periodic electoral roll revisions as conducted earlier. The organisation also demanded the repeal of the law governing the appointment of Election Commissioners to ensure the autonomy of the Election Commission, along with comprehensive electoral reforms, including proportional representation, measures to curb the influence of money and muscle power, and state funding of elections.
Anand Rajan, Treasurer, and M. Yugander, Secretary of the CITU State Committee, along with Venkat Rao, Secretary of the ASNVMS, also addressed the gathering. R. Rajendran, Secretary of the CITU State Committee, and other leaders were present.
A large number of workers affiliated with various trade unions from Sri Vijaya Puram town and rural South Andaman participated in the demonstration.
