MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray are set to spearhead a joint protest march in Mumbai on October 4 over the Election Commission's functioning and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
While announcing the protest, Raj Thackeray said in a social media post on Saturday that the MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) would take the lead in organising the march.
He, however, described it as a broader “people's march” and appealed to other political parties to join the mobilisation.
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The MNS chief accused the Election Commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, of functioning like a “branch of the ruling party”. He also alleged that voters were being subjected to “gross deception” in the name of SIR.
Thackeray urged political parties across Maharashtra to come together for the October 4 protest, saying the objective was to turn the march into a collective expression of concern from the political system as well as the public.
“We intend to reach out to all political parties to ensure this becomes a collective voice for the entire political system and the public,” he said in the post.
The proposed protest comes amid a wider political dispute over the Election Commission's functioning and the SIR exercise.
Jai Maharashtra
— Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) September 26, 2026
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Shiv Sena has organised a mass protest march in Mumbai on October 4, 2026 against the Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, that seems to be acting as if it is a mere branch of the ruling party. This…
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Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on several decisions of the poll panel, including matters related to voter registration, deletion of names and electoral-roll systems. The Election Commission, however, has said that decisions taken by the poll panel, including those related to SIR, were unanimous. The Indian Express
The MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) have appealed to people across Maharashtra to participate in the march in large numbers.
The organisers said the time and venue for the October 4 protest would be announced later.
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