2 hrs ago
CJP Threatens ‘Jantar Mantar 2.0’ Over CEC Resignation
The Cockroach Janta Party, or CJP, wants India’s chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, to resign.
It gave him 48 hours to do so.
The group says the way voter lists are being changed could take away people’s right to vote.
It also says elections may not be fair.
The CJP plans nationwide protests if Kumar stays in office, including one called “Jantar Mantar 2.0.”
Its demands came after reports said two other election commissioners had objected to decisions about revising voter lists.
The CJP wants an investigation and criminal proceedings over the alleged problems.
The Election Commission has said that some information requested from new voters is optional and maintains that local election officers handle voter-list changes.
The Cockroach Janta Party gave Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar 48 hours to resign.
The group threatened nationwide protests, including a demonstration in Delhi it called “Jantar Mantar 2.0.”
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke accused the Election Commission of undermining voting rights and rigging elections.
The demands followed reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected repeatedly to decisions concerning electoral-roll revisions.
CJP also demanded criminal proceedings, an independent inquiry into the Special Intensive Revision, and changes to the law governing the Election Commission.
- Who
- The Cockroach Janta Party, led by founder Abhijeet Dipke, and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
- What
- The CJP demanded Kumar’s resignation within 48 hours and threatened nationwide protests over alleged voter-rights and electoral-roll violations.
- Where
- The demand was made at a press conference in New Delhi, with protests threatened nationwide and in Delhi.
- When
- Thursday, September 24; the demand followed reports published the previous day about objections within the Election Commission.
- Why
- The CJP cited alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and reported objections by two election commissioners.
CJP’s allegations
Election Commission’s stated position
Control of voter-list changes
CJP’s allegations
The CJP alleged that voter additions and deletions were being controlled centrally and that the process could remove citizens’ voting rights.
Election Commission’s stated position
The Election Commission’s stated position, as described in the reports, is that electoral rolls are not prepared centrally and that district-level Electoral Registration Officers control additions and deletions.
Information required from new voters
CJP’s allegations
The CJP alleged that asking new applicants whether their parents were included in an earlier revision was made mandatory without legal authorization.
Election Commission’s stated position
The Election Commission has publicly said that this question on Form 6 is optional.
Fairness of elections
CJP’s allegations
The CJP alleged that the electoral process was rigged and urged opposition parties not to participate if they believe elections are compromised.
Election Commission’s stated position
The articles report that the national SIR rollout was supervised by all three election commissioners, while the Election Commission did not accept the CJP’s allegations in the supplied reports.
Key facts
- Resignation deadline
- 48 hours
- Proposed protest
- Nationwide demonstrations, including “Jantar Mantar 2.0” in Delhi
- Chief Election Commissioner
- Gyanesh Kumar
- CJP founder
- Abhijeet Dipke
- Election-roll process
- Special Intensive Revision, or SIR
- Reported objections
- Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi reportedly objected at least 14 times over 10 months
- Additional demands
- Criminal proceedings, an independent inquiry, and a new law to reconstitute the Election Commission
Quotes
Abhijeet Dipke
Founder of the Cockroach Janta Party
“If Gyanesh Kumar does not resign within 48 hours, we will start a nationwide protest, before coming for a protest in Delhi”
rediff.com
theprint.in
“If you know elections are being rigged, you cannot participate. You will have to take a stand”
rediff.com
Sources
'Jantar Mantar 2.0 will happen': CJP demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation
CJP threatens ‘Jantar Mantar 2.0’ if CEC Gyanesh Kumar does not resign
Resign In 48 Hours Or We'll Begin Protests: CJP's Ultimatum To Poll Body Chief
‘Resign in 48 hours’: CJP to CEC Gyanesh Kumar, warns of Jantar Mantar protest 2.0
‘Jantar Mantar 2’: CJP threatens protests if Gyanesh Kumar doesn’t resign in 48 hours
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