The Cockroach Janta Party on Thursday demanded chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation, threatening a nationwide agitation similar to the Jantar Mantar protests between June and July if he does not step down within 48 hours.
The organisation accused the CEC of “undermining” voter rights and launched the “Election Commission Thik Karo” campaign.
“If Gyanesh Kumar does not resign within 48 hours, we will start a nationwide protest, before coming for a protest in Delhi,” CJP convenor Abhijeet Dipke said, while addressing a press conference in the Capital along with co-convenor Saurav Das and spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka.
‘Burden on Election Commission to establish that every exclusion is lawful’
CJP cited voter exclusions across several states during the special intensive revision of voter rolls, saying the “burden” to prove that exclusions were lawful fell on the Election Commission of India.
{{/usCountry}}CJP cited voter exclusions across several states during the special intensive revision of voter rolls, saying the “burden” to prove that exclusions were lawful fell on the Election Commission of India.
{{/usCountry}}“When millions of names can disappear from draft rolls, the burden is on the Commission to establish that every exclusion is lawful, transparent and subject to meaningful review,” Dipke said, according to PTI news agency.
He further added, “Under Gyanesh Kumar, we are seeing an electoral system in which the Election Commission is deciding who remains on the voter rolls and who does not.”
CJP puts forward three demands
During the press conference, CJP put forward three demands, including the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and “initiation of criminal proceedings against him.”
The organisation further called for the “freezing” of the SIR exercise and restoration of the January, 2025 voter list. It also demanded the repealing of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, and reform of the ECI.
The CJP said its campaign would focus on the exclusion of more than 13 crore names from draft electoral rolls across 30 states and Union territories, PTI reported. Dipke also urged the opposition parties to not participate in elections if they believe these are “rigged”. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had, earlier on Thursday, claimed that “Lok Sabha elections, 2024 election, Vidhan Sabha elections are all being rigged.”
BJP responds to ‘vote chori’ claims, ECI refutes report
The Bharatiya Janata Party has not directly responded to the CJP's remarks, but rejected Rahul Gandhi's “vote chori” claims, saying the Congress leader was trying to create “hype” over a report.
“All decisions (at the Election Commission) were taken unanimously. There is no evidence that the decisions were taken by majority,” BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, according to PTI.
The poll body had also on Wednesdat said all decisions taken by it had the approval of the three election commissioners, according to an earlier HT report. The ECI said “internal checks-and-balances are standard” practice in a multi-member constitutional body.
“All actions of ECI have been in accordance with laws and instructions of the Commission,” the poll body said in a statement. ECI further stated that its three members may have individual views, observations or suggestions during deliberations, but all final decisions of the poll body are taken unanimously.
Deep Dive
What are the demands made by the Cockroach Janta Party regarding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar?
Why is there a controversy surrounding the Election Commission of India?
How has the Election Commission responded to allegations of internal dissent?
This comes a day after an investigative report by The Indian Express stated that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections to decisions taken in the commission’s name at least 14 times over 10 months. The ques