Nationwide Protests Erupt as Youth Groups, Opposition Parties Demand CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation

CEC Resignation Demand: Youth Groups, Opposition Parties Launch Nationwide Protests Across India

New Delhi, October 2: Protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar were held in Delhi, Mumbai and other parts of the country on Friday, with youth organisations, student groups and Opposition-backed parties raising questions over the functioning of the Election Commission.

The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), a youth-led political movement, launched its nationwide agitation from Mumbai on Gandhi Jayanti. The organisation has demanded Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls and has said its protests will continue until its demand is addressed.

In Delhi, members of the Indian Youth Congress, NSUI, AAP, AISA and other groups joined or backed demonstrations demanding accountability from the Election Commission. Police imposed restrictions around Jantar Mantar and several protesters were detained as demonstrators attempted to reach the protest venue.

The protests are linked to controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Opposition parties and activists have alleged that the voter-list revision could exclude eligible voters and have questioned the Election Commission’s handling of the process. The Election Commission has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and said the exercise is aimed at identifying duplicate, deceased and otherwise ineligible entries.

The INDIA bloc and several Opposition groups have also announced nationwide protests, turning the issue of electoral-roll revisions and the Election Commission’s functioning into a major political flashpoint.

Security was tightened in Delhi and Mumbai as demonstrations gathered momentum. The developments have triggered a wider debate over electoral transparency, voter-list revisions and the independence and accountability of the Election Commission.