'Scrap SIR...': Uddhav, Raj Thackeray lead Mumbai protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray are leading a joint protest march in Mumbai on Sunday (Oct 4). The protest is against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, with the parties alleging irregularities in the electoral process and demanding his resignation. Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray announced this protest march – “Garjana Morcha” and this follows the mass "Jail Bharo" demonstration organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Shivaji Park on October 2, 2026. The October 2 protest at Shivaji Park was held despite police denying permission for the gathering. The Thackeray cousins had announced the October 4 march last month, with the protest focused on the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

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In videos shared by news agency ANI, supporters of the state opposition parties were seen gathered in large numbers near Mumbai's Metro Cinema, walking towards Azad Maidan.

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Addressing the crowd, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said, "People will decide who will sit in power not ECI. The BJP knows the ECI is with them, they can do anything." Participants of the morcha, dubbed the Virat Garjana Morcha (Grand Roar March), demanded the removal/resignation of the CEC over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. Raj also demanded that the Maharashtra SIR should be scrapped as he called the SIR process 'totally illegal'. "EVMs should be discarded and voting must be done on ballot papers," the MNS chief said.

Only national flags allowed

Party flags and symbols were not permitted during the march. Participants and supporters were instead asked to carry only the national tricolour, reinforcing the organisers' attempt to present the protest as a collective campaign around electoral and constitutional issues. The decision also helped avoid the display of separate party identities as leaders and workers from different opposition groups joined the demonstration.