On Sunday, October 4, 2026, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray walked the streets of Mumbai in a march dubbed the Virat Garjana Morcha, starting at Metro Cinema and ending at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters. Congress and NCP leaders joined the procession, amplifying the call for the Chief Election Commissioner's resignation.
The protest hinges on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Maharashtra's electoral rolls, which has seen the removal of 2.06 crore voters—about 21.14% of the state's previous electorate—according to August data. Out of the original 9.78 crore voters, the draft roll now lists 7.71 crore, a 78.86% retention rate.
Raj Thackeray voiced fury over the 'deletion' of voters, demanding the suspension of electronic voting machines and a return to paper ballots. He said, "The number of votes cannot suddenly decrease," referring to the sudden drop following the SIR, and warned that the government had "snatched away" voting rights.
Uddhav Thackeray accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of compromising the electoral process, calling the SIR "unacceptable" and urging the central government to intervene. The protest comes two days after a youth movement staged a sit‑in at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, which had led to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan earlier in the year.
Eligible voters whose names were omitted can file objections until September 30, 2026. The final electoral roll, incorporating any corrections, is scheduled for publication on November 4, 2026, ahead of the planned state elections scheduled for December.