The Cockroach Janta Party says it will launch nationwide protests if Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar does not resign.
WEB DESK: India’s Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) youth movement has given Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar 48 hours to resign, saying it will launch nationwide protests if he remains in office.
The ultimatum follows a report by The Indian Express that two election commissioners had raised questions or expressed concerns at least 14 times over 10 months, primarily regarding the updating of voter lists. The Election Commission of India has rejected suggestions of wrongdoing, saying differences among commissioners are normal and its actions are lawful.
CJP threatens nationwide protests
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced the ultimatum at a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday.
Dipke said the movement would begin a nationwide agitation if Kumar did not resign within 48 hours. The group has also called for an end to the ongoing voter-roll revision and an independent review of decisions made during the process.
The CJP emerged from youth protests earlier this year and has since expanded its activities beyond its original campaign over examination-related issues.
Dispute over voter lists
The latest controversy centres on the process of updating India’s electoral rolls.
The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised questions or expressed concerns about the process at least 14 times in 10 months. Reuters reported that the concerns were mostly connected to voter-list updates that began last year.
Opposition parties have separately alleged that voter names were removed without adequate warning and that new voters were added without proper verification in ways that could benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Those allegations remain contested. The Election Commission has denied claims of bias, while the BJP has rejected accusations that the poll panel favoured the ruling party.
Election Commission defends its process
The Election Commission said differences of opinion among commissioners are part of institutional decision-making.
The panel said differing views and observations are normal before a final decision is reached and maintained that its actions have been lawful.
Kumar is the most senior of India’s three election commissioners and serves as the Chief Election Commissioner.
Sandhu and Joshi, who were reported to have raised concerns, did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Congress also announces protests
The controversy has also prompted action from India’s main opposition Congress Party.
Congress announced protest marches at state election offices across the country for Friday. The party is demanding Kumar’s removal, his arrest and an independent review of decisions and voter-list changes made under his leadership. These are demands by the opposition party, not established findings by authorities or a court.
The latest developments place renewed attention on India’s voter-registration system and the role of the Election Commission ahead of upcoming state elections.
The CJP’s 48-hour deadline is now the immediate focus, while the Election Commission continues to defend the legality of its decisions.
