New Delhi, India – India’s political landscape is witnessing escalating tensions following the announcement by the youth movement “Cockroaches” (also known as the “Cockroaches Janata Party”) of plans to stage large-scale protests in the financial capital, Mumbai. These mass protests demand the immediate resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar. The move follows controversial amendments and revisions made to the country’s voter rolls and electoral lists.
From Online Campaign to Street Pressure
The “Cockroaches” movement originally began as an online digital campaign before evolving into an influential grassroots pressure group. Earlier this year, it succeeded in forcing the Indian Minister of Education to resign following massive street demonstrations. Through today’s gathering in Mumbai, the movement seeks to launch a new wave of widespread protests across the country, coinciding with another rally—involving a coalition of student movements and civil society organizations—at the designated protest site of Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, aimed at pressing for the same demands.
Internal crisis within the Election Commission
These developments on the ground have intensified pressure on the Election Commission of India, which manages and oversees electoral processes across the country. A report by *The Indian Express* last month revealed deep divisions within the Commission; Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi formally objected—on at least 14 occasions over a ten-month period—to decisions and orders regarding the registration, deletion, and re-registration of voters. Furthermore, they raised objections concerning the management of databases and the handling of appeals.
The report stated that the commissioners expressed deep dissatisfaction regarding the adoption of consequential decisions without their prior knowledge. In response, the Election Commission denied these allegations, characterizing the disagreements as merely differing opinions that are a natural part of administrative deliberations. It further affirmed that key decisions had received the approval of the entire body. Under the 2023 law governing the Commission’s operations, decisions are reached through a majority vote involving the Commission Chairperson and the two commissioners of equal rank.
Controversy over the intensive review and the removal of millions of voters
It is worth noting that the voter list revision process began in the eastern state of Bihar in June of last year (2025) under the banner of a “Special Intensive Revision.” It subsequently expanded to encompass approximately 30 states and union territories across the country. The *Indian Express* reported that these operations resulted in the removal of over 130 million (13 crore) names from the preliminary voter lists. This move drew widespread criticism and strong objections due to the complexity of the official documentation required to prove voter eligibility and maintain inclusion on the rolls.