The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced plans to continue its agitation against the Election Commission for three months, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
CJP national convener Abhijeet Dipke made the announcement during a protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on October 2. He criticised the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and raised concerns about voting rights and constitutional safeguards.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Left parties and student organisations led demonstrations in Delhi. Police detained hundreds of protesters after authorities denied permission for a gathering at Jantar Mantar.
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The protests in Mumbai and Delhi formed part of a wider campaign seeking accountability from the Election Commission over the voter-roll revision exercise.
CJP Says Protest Will Continue for Three Months
Addressing protesters in Mumbai, Dipke said the organisation would not limit its agitation to a few days.
He announced a three-month campaign against the Election Commission and demanded Kumar’s resignation.
The CJP leader also criticised the BJP-led central government over the electoral-roll revision process. He questioned the treatment of voters whose names may have been excluded during the exercise.
Dipke invoked Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru while speaking about constitutional rights and the importance of voting.
He said the movement would continue until the organisation’s demands received attention.
The CJP had previously organised protests over the NEET examination paper leak issue. Its latest campaign focuses on the Election Commission and the SIR process.
AAP and Left Parties Lead Protest in Delhi
In Delhi, AAP leaders, Left student organisations and civil society members attempted to gather near Jantar Mantar.
However, Delhi Police denied permission for the demonstration and imposed prohibitory restrictions in the area.
Police detained around 700 protesters, according to reports citing officials.
Among those detained were AAP leaders Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj and Sanjay Singh. Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha, Swaraj India member Yogendra Yadav and student activists were also among those taken into custody.
Police personnel used barricades and buses to move protesters away from the restricted area.
The demonstrators sought Kumar’s resignation and raised concerns about the electoral-roll revision process.
AAP leaders described the police action as an attempt to prevent peaceful protest. Police maintained that they were enforcing restrictions after permission for the gathering was denied.
Protesters Raise Concerns Over SIR
The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has become a major point of disagreement between opposition parties and the Election Commission.
Opposition leaders have alleged that the exercise could exclude eligible voters from electoral lists. They have demanded greater transparency and safeguards to protect voting rights.
The Election Commission has defended its procedures and maintained that electoral-roll revisions follow established legal processes.
The Commission has also initiated a special drive to identify eligible voters who may have been left out during the revision process.
The competing claims have intensified the debate over voter registration, electoral transparency and the functioning of the poll body.
Mumbai Protest Draws Public Figures
The CJP demonstration at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park attracted several public figures.
Actors Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi, singer Vishal Dadlani, filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj and Tushar Gandhi, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, attended the gathering.
Vishal Dadlani also performed a song during the protest and used the occasion to call for the CEC’s resignation.
The Mumbai demonstration went ahead despite police denying permission for the gathering at the venue.
CJP leaders said they intended to sustain the campaign through further demonstrations.
Delhi Metro Services Affected
The Delhi protest also affected public transport in central Delhi.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation temporarily closed entry and exit facilities at several stations as part of security arrangements.
The affected stations included Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat and Patel Chowk, among others.
Police also restricted movement around Jantar Mantar and Parliament Street.
The measures caused inconvenience to commuters travelling through central Delhi.
CJP Plans Further Protest at Jantar Mantar
Following the October 2 demonstrations, CJP announced plans to return to Jantar Mantar on October 10 if Gyanesh Kumar does not resign.
The organisation has indicated that it will continue its campaign beyond the initial protest.
The AAP, Left parties and other opposition groups have also raised demands concerning the SIR process and the Election Commission.
The developments have brought renewed attention to the dispute over electoral-roll revision and the right to vote.
As the agitation continues, the Election Commission faces demands from protesters for greater transparency, while authorities maintain that electoral procedures must follow the law.
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