Published Sep 24, 2026 | 5:03 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 24, 2026 | 5:03 PM
CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Sourav Das and Asutosh Ranka addressing a press conference.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Thursday, September 24, launched strong criticism against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, calling him the “biggest anti-national” in the country and warning of nationwide protests if he doesn’t resign within 48 hours.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke put forward three demands: the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar and initiation of criminal proceedings against him and those who ordered the allegedly illegal proceedings; an immediate halt to the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and all the upcoming elections; revocation of the 2023 law governing the appointment of the CEC and the Election Commissioners.
Dipke alleged that the CEC has become the biggest challenge to the democratic system in India. He warned of nationwide protests if the CEC failed to resign within the next two days.
“If within 48 hours Gyanesh Kumar doesn’t resign, we will hold a nationwide protest…Right now, Gyanesh Kumar is the biggest anti-national and traitor of the country,” he said.
He accused Gyanesh Kumar of deleting voters “intentionally” through SIR for the benefit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Dipke called the CEC the “real force” behind BJP’s election victories and alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) under his leadership has been working to “bulldoze” the Opposition in all states.
“He is the face of the BJP, not PM Modi,” Dipke alleged.
“The real force behind the BJP’s electoral victories is CEC Gyanesh Kumar. He is the real hero of the BJP’s performance. BJP’s votes in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Haryana, Assam and other States have increased after Kumar’s appointment,” he claimed.
CJP leaders Sourav Das and Asutosh Ranka were also present during the presser.
The CJP’s protest announcement came a day after opposition parties intensified calls for the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, following an investigative report by the Indian Express that revealed key decisions concerning the SIR exercise were taken without the knowledge of, or despite objections from, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
According to the report, the Election Commissioners formally objected at least 14 times in the past 10 months to decisions on the SIR that were taken without their knowledge or against their recommendations.
The CEC is first among equals and does not have the power to decide alone. Section 18 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, says the Commission’s business “shall, as far as possible, be transacted unanimously”.
If the CEC and the Election Commissioners “differ in opinion on any matter”, the matter “shall be decided according to the opinion of the majority”. Yet, time and again, the poll body made decisions without the knowledge of, or sometimes against the recommendations of, the two Commissioners, according to Indian Express.
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
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