Scrutiny surrounding the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has intensified over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The 48-hour ultimatum issued by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner ends on Saturday. Party leadership has made it clear that if Gyanesh Kumar does not step down by the end of this deadline, a nationwide protest movement will be launched on October 2, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti. Preparations appear already underway, with groups of youth assembling at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, an activity highlighted through video footage shared by the political outfit.
Allegations of Massive Voter Deletions Under SIR
Serious allegations regarding the conduct of the SIR process have been brought forward by CJP convener Abhijeet Dipke along with co-conveners Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. The party leadership claims that across 30 states and union territories, more than 13 crore eligible citizens were systematically removed from draft electoral rolls during the revision process. The organization has challenged the Election Commission to provide a transparent explanation detailing the exact administrative and statutory procedures followed for every single deletion. They maintain that the removal of any citizen's name from voter lists must adhere to a verifiable, lawful, and reviewable process to protect franchise rights.
List of Demands and Calls for Judicial Oversight
Beyond seeking the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the Cockroach Janata Party has laid out several structural demands. The group wants an independent probe into all administrative decisions taken throughout the SIR exercise. Furthermore, they are demanding an immediate freeze on all ongoing voter deletion procedures and the restoration of the January 2025 voter lists until full ground-level verification is accomplished. To ensure transparency, CJP has insisted that all operational records and data logs tied to the exercise be handed over to a High Court or an independent judicial inquiry committee for scrutiny.
Push to Repeal the 2023 Election Commissioners Act
The party has expanded its agenda to demand foundational reforms in how constitutional poll supervisors are chosen. CJP is calling for the complete repeal of the 2023 legislation governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners. The outfit argues that to preserve the independence and institutional integrity of the poll body, a transparent selection mechanism involving civil society participation must replace the current framework. Taking to social media to criticize official responses to public demonstrations, Abhijeet Dipke wrote on X that dissent against the regime faces instant crackdowns while women's safety rarely receives similar urgency from Delhi Police.
Growing Political Momentum Across Opposing Camps
Criticism of the Election Commission's functioning is no longer restricted to activist platforms, as mainstream political parties across the spectrum have entered the debate. The Congress party organized demonstrations outside Election Commission offices in Delhi and several other major cities to register their protest. Concurrently, voices within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have also acknowledged the gravity of the controversy. Union Minister and NDA ally Chirag पासवान had remarked that if direct allegations are being leveled against the Chief Election Commissioner, he ought to come forward and present his version publicly. With the deadline expiring, all attention is now focused on the planned October 2 demonstrations.
