Cockroach Janta Party demands Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resign within 48 hours, face criminal charges and restore pre‑SIR voter rolls nationwide.

A group calling itself the Cockroach Janta Party demanded criminal proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and the restoration of pre‑SIR voter rolls nationwide.

Background on the Election Commission

The Election Commission of India administers all federal and state elections. The chief election commissioner heads the body and can be removed only by a presidential order after a parliamentary motion. The commission’s decisions on voter registration, polling dates and counting procedures are binding.

What are pre‑SIR voter rolls?

Pre‑SIR rolls refer to the voter lists compiled before the implementation of the Systematic Integrity Review (SIR) that aimed to clean outdated entries. Critics argue that the review removed legitimate voters, while officials say it eliminated duplicate and deceased entries.

No official response yet

As of the time of writing, the Election Commission has not issued a statement regarding the demand. No other political party or civil‑society group has publicly supported or rejected the call.

Procedural context

If a resignation request is submitted, the commission must follow constitutional provisions. A criminal complaint would be examined by the appropriate investigative agency, which decides whether to file charges based on evidence presented.

The demand highlights ongoing tension over voter‑list accuracy and the perceived independence of the election authority. Further developments will depend on any formal filing or response from the commission.