SIR-EC dissent row: CJP gives CEC Gyanesh Kumar 48 hours to resign, threatens nationwide protest
Mangalore Today News Network
New Delhi, Sep 24, 2026: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Thursday demanded that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resign within 48 hours over what it alleged were irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The group warned of a nationwide protest if its demand was not met.
The CJP put forward three demands:
* Resignation of Gyanesh Kumar and initiation of criminal proceedings against him.
* Restoration of the pre-SIR electoral roll from January 2025.
* Repeal of the 2023 law governing the appointment of Election Commissioners.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke made the demands while addressing a press conference in New Delhi. He alleged that voters were being deliberately removed from electoral rolls at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and claimed that the Election Commission was working against Opposition parties. These are allegations made by the CJP and have not been established as fact.
The demands come amid reports of internal disagreements within the Election Commission. The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions concerning voter additions, deletions, restoration of names and changes to the voter-registration process during the SIR exercise.
The CJP also said it had cancelled its programmes scheduled for Thursday and would hold a press conference on what it described as the “hijacking of India’s democracy”.
The organisation said it would launch a nationwide agitation if the CEC did not resign within the stipulated 48 hours.
Meanwhile, Opposition parties have also been demanding changes to the SIR process and action against Gyanesh Kumar. The Congress has announced protest marches to state Election Commission offices on September 25, demanding his removal and arrest.