India’s youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and opposition parties have called for the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, following investigative reports alleging procedural improprieties during a significant revision of voter records. The allegations stem from a newspaper investigation published by The Indian Express, which reported that key decisions linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, initiated last year, were made without the necessary approval of two of the three election commissioners.
According to the report, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised at least 14 formal objections over a ten-month period regarding decisions on voter registrations, deletions, restorations, and control of electoral data. Sandhu specifically alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) acted against their written advice, characterizing such actions as “unauthorized and illegal.” The ECI responded by stating that these allegations presented only part of the picture and that differing views are a routine aspect of decision-making.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke labeled Kumar “the biggest threat to India’s democracy” at a Thursday press conference, demanding his resignation by Saturday. When the deadline passed without Kumar stepping down, Dipke threatened to launch nationwide protests, starting in Mumbai on October 2, which coincides with the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. After Mumbai police denied permission for the event, Dipke urged supporters to accept mass arrests rather than comply with the ban. Protests were subsequently staged on Friday, with organizers pledging to continue mobilizing despite restrictions.
Opposition leaders echoed the CJP’s concerns. Pawan Khera of the Congress party accused Kumar of committing acts akin to treason, arguing that decisions made without the approval of two commissioners would render the entire SIR exercise legally invalid. Both the ECI and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have denied accusations of collusion to manipulate voter lists for recent state elections.
The CJP movement, which gained prominence after forcing the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in July, has outlined three primary demands: the resignation and prosecution of Kumar, a freeze on the SIR and suspension of upcoming elections, and the repeal of the 2023 law governing the appointment of election commissioners. Civil rights activist Amrita Johri emphasized that restoring public confidence requires an independent review of the millions of names excluded from the draft rolls. Political analysts suggest that while the CJP may remain a pressure group, its shift toward electoral administration places it at the center of a contentious dispute, with former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi noting that judicial scrutiny is the practical route to resolve unilateral decisions made by the commission.
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