CJP Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation Within 48 Hours, Threatens Nationwide Protest

New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, giving him 48 hours to step down and warning that it would launch a nationwide protest if the demand is not met.

The organisation announced its campaign, titled “Election Commission Thik Karo,” at a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday. CJP founder and convenor Abhijeet Dipke, along with co-convenor Saurav Das and spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, accused the Election Commission of undermining voters’ rights and raised objections over the ongoing revision of electoral rolls.

Dipke said the organisation would first begin protests across the country and then organise a demonstration in Delhi, describing the proposed agitation as similar to the protests held at Jantar Mantar earlier this year.

CJP raises concerns over voter-roll revision

A major part of the organisation’s campaign concerns the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The CJP claimed that more than 13 crore names had been excluded from draft electoral rolls across 30 states and Union territories and argued that the Election Commission should establish that every deletion was lawful, transparent and open to meaningful review.

Dipke alleged that the current electoral process had created concerns over who remains on voter lists and who is removed from them.

The organisation has called for the SIR exercise to be stopped and demanded that the January 2025 voter list be restored.

These statements represent the CJP’s allegations and demands. They do not by themselves establish that voter deletions were unlawful or that the electoral process was manipulated.

Three demands placed by CJP

During the press conference, the organisation outlined three broad demands.

First, it called for the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and sought criminal proceedings against him.

Second, it demanded that the ongoing SIR exercise be frozen and that the January 2025 electoral roll be restored.

Third, the organisation called for the repeal of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, along with wider reforms to the Election Commission of India.

Dipke also urged opposition parties not to participate in elections if they believed the electoral process was being “rigged”.

BJP rejects broader ‘vote chori’ allegations

The CJP’s remarks come amid a wider political debate over electoral rolls and allegations of “vote chori”.

The BJP has rejected similar allegations made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, according to PTI, that decisions taken by the Election Commission had been unanimous and that there was no evidence that decisions were being taken by majority vote.

The BJP has described the allegations surrounding the Election Commission as an attempt to create political hype.

Election Commission rejects claims of internal disagreement

The Election Commission has also responded to reports and allegations concerning differences among its members.

According to the report, the poll body said that all decisions taken by the Commission had the approval of all three Election Commissioners.

The ECI maintained that internal discussions, checks and balances are part of the functioning of a multi-member constitutional institution. It also said that individual members may express their own views, observations or suggestions during deliberations, but final decisions are taken unanimously.

The Commission further stated that its actions have been carried out in accordance with applicable laws and its instructions.

Report raises questions about objections within ECI

The controversy follows an investigative report by The Indian Express, which reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections to decisions taken in the Commission’s name on at least 14 occasions over a 10-month period.

The report added another layer to the debate over the functioning of the poll panel.

The Election Commission, however, has maintained that differences of views during internal deliberations are part of the institutional process and that final decisions were taken unanimously.

CJP campaign to focus on electoral rolls

The CJP said its new campaign would primarily focus on voter-list exclusions and the broader electoral-roll revision process.

The organisation argued that voters whose names are removed from draft rolls should have a meaningful opportunity to understand the reasons and challenge the decision through the prescribed process.

Its demand to restore the January 2025 voter list and halt the SIR exercise is part of a larger set of proposed electoral reforms.

The organisation has also criticised the existing legal framework governing the appointment and service conditions of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners.

A wider political debate

The developments come at a time when the Election Commission’s functioning and electoral-roll revision have become subjects of intense political debate.

Opposition leaders and groups have raised concerns about voter deletions and the transparency of the revision process, while the Election Commission has defended its procedures and said its actions are being carried out according to law.

The BJP has also rejected allegations of electoral manipulation and defended the functioning of the Commission.

With the CJP now threatening a nationwide protest, the dispute is likely to remain part of the wider discussion over electoral reforms, voter registration and the functioning of India’s constitutional election machinery.

For now, the CJP’s 48-hour demand is a political call made by the organisation, while the Election Commission continues to maintain that its decisions and actions have been taken according to law and through the Commission’s institutional process. The competing claims regarding voter-roll exclusions and the functioning of the poll panel remain matters of ongoing public and political debate.

News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.