Leaders of India’s youth-driven “Cockroach Janta Party” announced on Thursday their intention to initiate nationwide protests if Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar does not step down within 48 hours. This demand follows reports that Kumar was questioned by his deputies regarding alterations made to voter lists.
Opposition parties have accused the Election Commission of manipulating voter rolls to favor Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On Wednesday, the Indian Express revealed that two election commissioners had raised concerns or questioned Kumar at least 14 times over a 10-month period, primarily about the voter list update process that began last year.
The revelations ignited a political storm, with opposition groups intensifying their criticism of the election commission, which they claim is biased. The commission has denied these allegations, emphasizing that internal differences are normal in any institution.
In a significant development, the main opposition Congress Party declared plans for protest marches at all state election offices across India on Friday. Their demands include Kumar’s arrest, his removal from office, and an independent review of all decisions and voter list changes made under his leadership.
The Election Commission responded by stating that differing opinions among commissioners are a routine part of decision-making before final resolutions are reached. Kumar, the senior-most of the three election commissioners, has faced scrutiny from his colleagues Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, who reportedly questioned and disagreed with him on several occasions. Neither Sandhu nor Joshi has commented publicly on the matter.
The opposition has criticized the commission’s recent conduct, alleging that millions of voters were removed from the rolls without notice and that new voters were added without proper verification to benefit the BJP. Meanwhile, the BJP has defended the commission, accusing opposition parties of launching a smear campaign due to their repeated electoral defeats.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra asserted at a media briefing that neither the Election Commission nor any constitutional body in India operates under dictatorial control, affirming their democratic functioning.
Notably, the Cockroach Janta Party recently gained prominence after successful youth protests in July, which led to the resignation of Modi’s education minister over exam paper leaks—one of the most significant political setbacks for Modi since assuming power in 2014.
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