Why the latest action from India's youth-led 'cockroach' movement is targeting the election chief

India’s youth‑led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and several opposition parties on Thursday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing a newspaper investigation that says key decisions in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls were taken without the approval of two of the three election commissioners. The Indian Express reported that the SIR, which began last year, involved registrations, deletions and restorations of voters, and that the moves were likely unauthorized.

The probe found that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi lodged at least 14 formal objections over ten months, warning that the Election Commission of India (ECI) was acting against written advice and breaching its own rules. Sandhu described the actions as “unauthorized and illegal.” The ECI responded that the allegations represent only one side of a routine decision‑making process and that differing views are normal in such matters. The commission, however, has not dismissed the objections, leaving the legality of the SIR in question.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke called Kumar “the biggest threat to India’s democracy” and set a deadline of Saturday for his resignation, threatening nationwide protests starting on October 2, Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. The deadline passed without Kumar stepping down. Mumbai police denied permission for the planned march, prompting Dipke to urge supporters to accept mass arrests rather than obey the ban. Protesters gathered on Friday and pledged to keep mobilising. Opposition figures echoed the criticism; Congress leader Pawan Khera accused Kumar of treason and said any SIR decisions made without the two commissioners’ consent are legally invalid. Congress and other parties have long alleged that the ECI colludes with the ruling BJP to manipulate voter lists, a charge the commission and the BJP deny.

The Cockroach movement, which forced Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign in July, now lists three demands: Kumar’s resignation and criminal prosecution, a freeze on the SIR and suspension of upcoming elections, and the repeal of the 2023 law governing election‑commissioner appointments. If the demands are not met, the group says it will intensify protests, potentially disrupting the electoral calendar. Legal challenges to the SIR could further strain the credibility of India’s election machinery ahead of state polls, raising questions about the independence of the commission and the fairness of future contests.