Archive · 24 Sep 2026
Cockroach Movement Threatens Nationwide Protest Over Poll Chief
A youth group called the Cockroach Janta Party says India’s top election official, Gyanesh Kumar, should resign within 48 hours.
If he does not, the group says it will organize protests across the country.
The demand came after a newspaper reported disagreements inside the Election Commission.
Two other election commissioners reportedly objected to some decisions about voter lists.
These decisions included how new voters were registered and how voter information was handled.
Opposition parties say the voter lists may have been changed unfairly to help the ruling BJP.
The BJP and the Election Commission reject claims that the commission is biased or acting unlawfully.
Congress also announced protests and called for an independent review.
The Cockroach Janta Party threatened nationwide protests unless Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigns within 48 hours.
The demand followed a report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised objections 14 times in 10 months over electoral-roll decisions.
The objections reportedly involved voter registration, Form 6 changes, voter appeals in West Bengal, Goa voter data and access to digital electoral-roll databases.
Opposition parties, including Congress, demanded Kumar’s removal, an independent investigation and a review of voter-list changes; Congress announced protests at state election offices.
The Election Commission said internal differences are normal, its actions were lawful and focusing on selected notes presented only part of the decision-making record.
- Who
- The Cockroach Janta Party, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, opposition parties and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
- What
- The Cockroach Janta Party threatened nationwide protests unless Kumar resigns within 48 hours, amid disputes over electoral-roll decisions.
- When
- The threat was made on Thursday, September 24, 2026, after a report published on Wednesday.
- Where
- The proposed protests would take place nationwide in India; the announcement was made at a press conference in Delhi.
- Why
- The campaign and opposition parties cited reported internal objections over voter-list revisions and alleged concerns about the Election Commission’s independence and conduct.
Critics and Opposition
Election Commission and BJP
Kumar’s position
Critics and Opposition
The Cockroach Janta Party and opposition parties say Gyanesh Kumar should be removed or resign, and Congress has also demanded his arrest.
Election Commission and BJP
The Election Commission has defended its decision-making as lawful, while the BJP has defended the poll panel.
Electoral-roll revision
Critics and Opposition
Critics cite the reported objections and allege that voter names were deleted or new voters added in ways that could benefit the BJP.
Election Commission and BJP
The Election Commission says internal differences and operational questions are normal parts of deliberation and that highlighting selected notes gives only part of the picture.
Election oversight
Critics and Opposition
The Cockroach Janta Party and opposition parties want an independent inquiry, a freeze on the SIR and reforms to the election-commissioner appointment process.
Election Commission and BJP
The BJP says the poll panel and other constitutional bodies function democratically and characterizes opposition criticism as a smear campaign linked to election losses.
- Protest deadline
- The Cockroach Janta Party gave Gyanesh Kumar 48 hours to resign.
- Reported objections
- The Indian Express reported 14 objections by two election commissioners over 10 months.
- Officials named
- The reported objections came from Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
- Disputed exercise
- The objections concerned the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, known as the SIR.
- Congress action
- Congress announced marches at state election offices across India and sought Kumar’s removal, arrest and an independent review.
- Election Commission response
- The commission said differing views are normal, its actions were lawful and selected internal notes did not show the full record.
- Appointment law
- The 2023 law provides for election commissioners to be appointed on the recommendation of a committee comprising the prime minister, a Union cabinet minister and the Lok Sabha Opposition leader.
