Karnataka Chief Minister D.K.
Shivakumar said he had taken note of the police action against protesters and members of the media on Monday (October 12, 2026), and had sought a full report on the circumstances that led to it.
“If there has been any unnecessary use of force or excess, accountability will follow,” he said.
This comes a day after the Bengaluru police detained over 100 persons for attempting to march to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The police also manhandled journalists and photographers, apart from protesters, on a day when Mr.
Shivakumar was participating in a protest rally against SIR in New Delhi, drawing widespread criticism.
“The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy.
We cannot demand that right for ourselves in Delhi and deny it to others in Bengaluru.
Karnataka must hold itself to the democratic standards that we expect from the rest of the country.
There will be no double standards,” the Chief Minister said in a statement issued on Tuesday (October 13, 2026).
INDIA bloc marches through Delhi, takes SIR protest to Supreme Court “Let me be clear: disagreement with the Election Commission, disagreement with my government or disagreement with me personally does not diminish anyone’s right to peacefully express it,” he added.
‘Do not disrupt peaceful protest’ Meanwhile, Home Minister Priyank Kharge said he had issued instructions to the police to ensure that no peaceful demonstration is disrupted.
It must be respected, protected and never suppressed.
I have issued instructions to the police to ensure that no peaceful demonstration is disrupted,” Mr.
Kharge wrote on X on Tuesday.
“Our responsibility is not merely to maintain law and order, but to create an environment where every citizen can express dissent freely, peacefully and without fear.
In a democracy, peaceful dissent is not a threat to law and order.
It is a right that law and order must protect,” he added.
“Revoke restrictions on protests” Following the Chief Minister’s statement, Campaign for the Right to Protest, has written to him appealing him to ensure the Karnataka government withdraw The Licensing and Regulation of Protests, Demonstrations and Protest Marches (Bengaluru City) Order, 2021, which restricts protests to Freedom Park, and restore The Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Public Processions (Bangalore City) Order, 2009, under which protests were not restricted to a single location.
Contrary to claims that the restrictions were imposed by the High Court of Karnataka, the letter sought to clarify the legal position.
“The High Court of Karnataka, in its judgment dated August 1, 2022, in WP No.
5781/2021, noted that the Government of Karnataka had framed the 2021 Regulations and directed compliance with them.
The Court did not itself impose such restrictions.
The right to withdraw, amend or otherwise deal with these Regulations rests with the State government and has in no way been taken away,” the letter said.
