A group of six protesters led by city-based social activist Narasimha Murthy staged a peaceful protest outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, on Sunday, October 25, 2026. Holding the national flag and singing the national anthem, the participants demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar.
The demonstration formed part of an ongoing campaign seeking the departure of Mr. Kumar. Organizers stated that they have vowed to continue holding the protests every Sunday until their demands are addressed.
Police personnel from the Halasuru Gate police station arrived at the scene and raised objections to the singing of the national anthem, pointing to a rule violation according to the demonstrators. Bengaluru City Police maintain that public protests are permitted exclusively inside Freedom Park and are barred anywhere outside that location. Over the preceding two weeks, civil society organizations in Bengaluru have actively demanded the repeal of this restriction and the authorization of demonstrations outside the designated venue.
Mr. Murthy alleged that a senior police officer instructed the demonstrators to delete their video recording of the protest, asserting it breached regulations. The activist responded by challenging the officer to provide the directive in writing or state on record that singing the national anthem was prohibited. He emphasized that the gathering remained entirely peaceful, noting the absence of slogans, placards, or banners, and stated that the group was simply voicing its demands through peaceful means.
After concluding the national anthem, the group walked to Mysore Bank Circle, where they officially wrapped up the protest activity. A police official noted that security had been heavily deployed around the Karnataka CEO's office since the demonstrations first began. Personnel had received explicit instructions to monitor the area closely and take action against any unauthorized gatherings.