Archive · 24 Sep 2026
CJP Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar Resign, Threatens Nationwide Protests
A political group called the Cockroach Janta Party asked Election Commission chief Gyanesh Kumar to resign within 48 hours.
Its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, said the group would organize protests across India if he did not leave.
Dipke accused the Election Commission of wrongly removing millions of names from voter lists.
He also said this may have hurt opposition leaders in several constituencies.
These claims were presented as allegations and were not independently proven in the reports.
A newspaper report said two election commissioners had objected several times to decisions about voter registration and voter-list changes.
The Election Commission said disagreements can happen inside institutions and that its actions were legal.
Congress also announced marches demanding Kumar’s removal and a review of election-related decisions.
Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke gave Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar 48 hours to resign or face nationwide protests.
Dipke alleged that more than 13 crore votes had been deleted or affected under the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision exercise.
He claimed voter deletions harmed constituencies linked to Mamata Banerjee, M.K. Stalin and Arvind Kejriwal, but the allegations were not independently established in the reports.
An Indian Express report said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections at least 14 times over 10 months to voter-list and registration decisions.
The Election Commission of India said institutional differences were normal and maintained that its actions were legal, while Congress announced protests and called for Kumar’s removal and an independent review.
- Who
- Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar; the Election Commission of India and Congress also responded to the controversy.
- What
- Dipke issued a 48-hour resignation ultimatum and threatened nationwide protests over alleged voter deletions and reported disagreements within the Election Commission.
- When
- The demand was made on Thursday after a report published the previous day; Congress announced marches for September 25 and September 28.
- Where
- Dipke made the statement at a press conference in Delhi and threatened protests nationwide.
- Why
- He alleged that electoral-roll revisions and other Election Commission decisions undermined democracy and disadvantaged opposition parties.
Critics of Gyanesh Kumar
Election Commission Position
Voter-list revisions
Critics of Gyanesh Kumar
Dipke and Congress alleged that large-scale voter deletions under the Special Intensive Revision exercise weakened democracy and affected opposition-linked constituencies.
Election Commission Position
The Election Commission said its actions were legal; the reports did not include a detailed official response to each of Dipke’s deletion claims.
Internal disagreements
Critics of Gyanesh Kumar
Critics cited the report that two election commissioners objected at least 14 times to decisions involving voter deletions, additions, restoration and registration procedures.
Election Commission Position
The Election Commission downplayed the reported differences, describing them as normal within an institution.
Political consequences
Critics of Gyanesh Kumar
Dipke alleged that voter deletions and other Election Commission decisions were part of a pattern favoring the ruling BJP and weakening opposition parties.
Election Commission Position
The reports presented these claims as allegations and did not establish that the Election Commission intentionally targeted opposition parties.
- Resignation deadline
- 48 hours for Gyanesh Kumar to step down
- Threatened action
- Nationwide agitation and protests if he does not resign
- Alleged votes affected
- More than 13 crore votes, according to Dipke
- Reported objections
- Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly raised objections at least 14 times in 10 months
- Election process
- The controversy concerns the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and related registration decisions
- Congress protests
- State units were directed to march to state election offices on September 25; district committees were directed to march to collectorates on September 28
- Election Commission response
- The Election Commission said differences were normal and that its actions were legal
Sources
CJP gives CEC Gyanesh Kumar 48-hours to resign, threatens nationwide agitation
CJP demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation in 48 hrs, warns of nationwide protests: ‘Jantar Mantar 2.0 will happen if…'