The political confrontation over the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls intensified on Friday, October 2, as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) staged a protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park seeking Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. At the same time, opposition leaders backed protests in several places, describing the campaign as a fight to protect voting rights and democracy, while BJP leaders rejected the allegations against the poll panel.
CJP Holds Protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park
The CJP protest was held despite Mumbai Police denying permission for the demonstration. Thousands of people gathered at Shivaji Park, with many carrying the national flag and placards. Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah and other public figures were also seen at the protest venue. ‘A Lathi Can Stop a Crowd, But Not a Question’: Rahul Gandhi Backs Protesters Demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has demanded the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar and called for changes in the functioning and appointment process of the Election Commission. The organisation has also sought a freeze on the SIR exercise and the use of the 2025 electoral rolls for future elections.
The protest comes amid allegations concerning the SIR process and reports about objections raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over certain decisions. The Election Commission has maintained that decisions of the three-member panel, including those related to SIR, were taken unanimously.
Opposition Calls Protest a Fight to ‘Save Democracy’
Opposition leaders separately joined or backed demonstrations against the Election Commission and demanded accountability from the CEC. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal described the issue as a fight to protect democracy and the voting rights of ordinary citizens. He said Congress and INDIA bloc leaders were prepared to face arrest over the issue. Viral Video Shows Delhi Police Officer Punching GenZ Protester at Jantar Mantar, Bharadwaj Says ‘Real Face of Police’.
The opposition has accused the Election Commission of mishandling the electoral-roll revision process and has demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s removal. INDIA bloc parties have also called for the restoration of pre-SIR electoral rolls and other changes to the electoral process. In Delhi, protests were held around Jantar Mantar. AAP leaders and members of student organisations were among those detained as police enforced restrictions in the New Delhi district. Reports said more than 700 protesters were detained during the demonstrations.
BJP Rejects Allegations, Fadnavis Calls It ‘Fake Narrative’
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended the Election Commission while responding to the CJP protest in Mumbai. Fadnavis said what he described as a “fake narrative” against the Election Commission had been exposed following a press conference by the three Election Commissioners. He said attempts to continue with that narrative would not succeed.
The BJP and its leaders have rejected opposition allegations concerning the Election Commission and the SIR process. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini also accused Congress of making allegations without concrete evidence, according to reports from Friday's developments.
Election Commission-SIR Dispute at Centre of Row
The protests are linked to the wider political dispute over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission. Opposition parties have raised questions over changes to voter lists and demanded greater transparency in the poll panel's decision-making. The Election Commission, however, has maintained that its decisions are taken collectively and has rejected claims of wrongdoing.
The CJP has said its campaign will continue beyond Mumbai, with further protests planned in other cities. The opposition INDIA bloc has also announced additional programmes in the coming weeks, keeping the Election Commission and electoral-roll issue at the centre of its political campaign. The developments on Gandhi Jayanti have therefore brought the CJP's campaign, opposition demands and the BJP's defence of the Election Commission into a broader political confrontation over electoral rolls, the SIR process and voting rights.
