Panaji, October 8: Raising serious concerns over the functioning of constitutional institutions and the alleged disenfranchisement of voters, the Enough Is Enough (EiE), Goa movement has announced its support for the October 11 protest at Azad Maidan, Panaji, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The protest, organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), will be held at 4 pm. EiE Convenor and former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, Justice Ferdino Rebello (Retd.), has appealed to citizens, civil society organisations and democratic rights activists across Goa to participate in large numbers.

“Democracy cannot survive if the very institutions entrusted with protecting constitutional rights undermine the confidence of citizens. Remaining silent when democratic institutions are under threat is not an option for responsible citizens,” Justice Rebello said.

Expressing grave concern over the alleged deletion of lakhs of names from electoral rolls on technical and other grounds, Justice Rebello questioned the implications of such actions for the fundamental principles of representative democracy.

He maintained that the right of every eligible citizen to vote must be protected and that electoral roll revision exercises should never become instruments for arbitrarily depriving citizens of their democratic rights.

Justice Rebello also highlighted his own experience, revealing that although he is registered as a voter in Mumbai, he had received a notice under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.

“If a person who has held a high constitutional office can receive such a notice, one must consider what ordinary citizens may be facing,” he observed, calling for greater transparency, accountability and fairness in electoral procedures.

He stressed that constitutional institutions must remain independent, impartial and accountable to the people. Any erosion of public confidence in these institutions, he warned, could have far-reaching consequences for Indian democracy.

Justice Rebello emphasised that defending democracy is not the responsibility of political parties alone. It is a collective duty of citizens, social organisations, intellectuals and all those who believe in constitutional values.

Calling for a united civic response, he urged Goans to rise above political affiliations and participate in the October 11 demonstration.

“This is not merely about one individual holding office. It is about safeguarding the credibility of our electoral system, protecting citizens’ voting rights and defending the democratic foundations of the Republic,” Justice Rebello asserted.

The Enough Is Enough movement has appealed to all democratic-minded citizens and civil society groups to assemble at Azad Maidan, Panaji, at 4 pm on Sunday, October 11, to express solidarity with the protest.

The protest in Goa forms part of a wider national agitation over the Election Commission’s handling of electoral roll revisions.