Delhi protest: Will CJP call off demonstrations if CEC Gyanesh Kumar resigns? Here’s what we know | Today’s news
Delhi turned into a scene of high political drama on Saturday ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar. Even before the leaders and activists reached the protest site, many were detained, including the organization’s founder Abhijeet Dipke, co-organizers Saurav Das and Ashutosh Rank, and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee.
The protest called by the CJP seeks the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls. With the national capital under a security blanket, the question remains: would Kumar’s resignation be enough for the CJP to withdraw its protest?
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
No. CJP co-convenor Saurav Das said that Kumar’s resignation alone would not end the agitation; the outfit says it will continue until its demands are resolved.
The CJP called for a suspension of the upcoming elections, a freeze on the SIR exercise and an independent inquiry into the decision-making of the SIR. It also demanded criminal proceedings against Kumar and changes in the law and the process of appointing election commissioners.
The protest concerns alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls. The report cited in the articles said two election commissioners raised formal objections, including concerns that decisions and orders were issued without their knowledge.
The organization wants an independent commission of inquiry to scrutinize the decision-making processes involved in the particularly intensive revision of electoral rolls.
The CJP linked its demand to concerns over the revision of the electoral roll and the decisions taken during the SIR. The articles state that the exercise sparked a debate about the role of the electoral commission in determining electoral eligibility.
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Will CJP withdraw his protests? Here’s what we know
According to a report in The Week, CJP co-conference Saurav Das said, “Even if Gyanesh Kumar resigns, we will not bow down.” Das claimed that the satirical group, which was formed after the Chief Justice of India (CJI) compared unemployed youth to “cockroaches”, would continue to agitate against Kumar until its demands were resolved.
According to media reports, the CJP is not only seeking Kumar’s resignation but has also made several other demands. These include the suspension of the upcoming elections, the freezing of the Special Intensive Review (SIR) exercise and the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry to examine the decision-making processes involved in the SIR.
Separately, the satirical group also called for criminal proceedings against Gyanesh Kumar and repeal of the Jury Appointments Act 2023 and demanded an independent selection process for the Election Commissioner.
Read also | CJP protest: Abhijeet Dipke detained at IGI | Who else was taken into custody?
Why is CJP seeking Kumar’s resignation?
According to a report published in The Indian Express last month, over 130 million names were removed from the draft electoral rolls in 30 states and union territories during the SIR ECI exercise that began in Bihar last year. The exercise sparked widespread debate about the role of the polling panel in determining voter eligibility.
The inquiry found that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had also raised concerns repeatedly within the three-member commission during the same period. Although all three commissioners oversaw the nationwide SIR exercise, Sandhu and Joshi recorded at least 14 formal objections over 10 months, including four in one day. They said decisions were made and orders issued without their knowledge.
CJP protest in Delhi faces hurdles
As the CJP prepared to protest in the state capital, personnel from Delhi Police, Jammu and Kashmir Police and paramilitary forces were deployed to stop the protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar. Separately, authorities also announced the closure of at least 57 metro stations in the capital and the cancellation of some trains, despite a Supreme Court order directing the Center not to impose a complete shutdown of public transport.
Read also | CJP protest: Why is Delhi ‘off’? How the police explained the strict curbs
Dipke and co-organizers of the CJP were detained in the capital along with about 1,500 other people, including politicians and activists. Dhruv Rathee was arrested in Gurugram. Several others were also detained in different parts of the country, including Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia in Chandigarh and Tushar Gandhi, an activist and great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, in Mumbai.
Das’s remarks suggest that Kumar’s resignation alone would not be enough to end the agitation, with the CJP also pushing for an inquiry and changes to the election process. However, it remains to be seen whether Kumar will step down, as former education minister Dharmendra Pradhan did after earlier protests.
