Opposition and Youth Groups Demand Chief Election Commissioner's Resignation
The INDIA bloc and Cockroach Janta Party launched nationwide protests demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resign over alleged mass voter roll deletions.
Opposition parties and the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) launched nationwide protests on October 2, 2026, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstrations center on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which critics allege was weaponized to delete up to 13 crore voters to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party. The unrest followed reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected to Kumar's decisions on at least 14 occasions.
In New Delhi, police detained approximately 1,000 people at Jantar Mantar, including Aam Aadmi Party leaders Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj. Authorities implemented Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, suspended mobile internet, and closed 12 metro stations to block the gathering. Simultaneously, the CJP held a large unauthorized rally at Mumbai's Shivaji Park, attended by actress Shabana Azmi. Despite police denying permission and objections from local residents regarding noise pollution, the CJP proceeded with a 'Jail Bharo Andolan'.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis dismissed the allegations as a "fake narrative" that had been "busted" by the commissioners. The Election Commission of India denied any wrongdoing, stating all SIR decisions were made unanimously. The INDIA bloc has planned further district-level marches through October 8 and a march to the Election Commission office on October 6. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has threatened a mass march to Delhi on October 10 if Kumar does not resign.
