NEW DELKHI, Oct 2: India’s “Cockroach” youth movement has called for new protests in the country’s financial hub of Mumbai for Friday to demand the resignation of the chief election commissioner over a contentious revision of voter rolls.
The movement, which began as an online campaign and now calls itself the Cockroach Janata Party, forced India’s education minister to resign in July with its street protests. The Mumbai rally is meant to kick off a new period of demonstrations nationwide.
Separately, a coalition of student and civil society groups were to gather Friday at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site in New Delhi, with the same demand.
The protests add to mounting pressure on India’s Election Commission, which oversees polls across the country. Critics and opposition parties accuse it of altering voter registrations to give an advantage to the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Both the commission and the government deny any wrongdoing.
– India’s election commission faces internal dissent –
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The Indian Express newspaper last month reported that two of the three election commissioners had formally objected to several decisions involving voter roll revisions, registration procedures and the commission’s digital systems.
According to the report, the two commissioners questioned the legality of some of the decisions, but Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar disregarded their objections. Indian law requires the three-member Election Commission to make decisions by majority vote.
The commission disputed the report, saying it was based on “differing views and deliberations” among the commissioners rather than formal written objections.
– Voter list revisions removed millions of names –
India’s voter roll revisions began last year in the eastern state of Bihar ahead of state elections, and have since expanded to most of the country’s states and federally administered territories.
Known as Special Intensive Revision, the revisions have drawn criticism over the documents required to establish voters’ eligibility. Critics say the requirements have been confusing and difficult for many voters to meet, potentially leaving millions off the registration lists and unable to vote.
Election Commission data shows voter lists in some regions could shrink by as much as 30%.
The commission says the objective is to remove duplicate and ineligible entries while ensuring eligible voters remain on the lists. Opposition parties and activists say it risks excluding legitimate voters. They also accuse the chief commissioner, Kumar, of political bias and allege the revisions benefit Modi’s party.
The Election Commission and Modi’s party have rejected the allegations.
– The ‘Cockroach’ movement is expanding its political focus –
The youth movement, which emerged earlier this year out of anger over high unemployment among young people and leaked examination papers, has grown into a political force.
Led by Abhijeet Dipke, it rose to national prominence after organizing mass protests over examination paper leaks. The demonstrations culminated in the resignation of India’s education minister, a significant political setback for Modi’s government.
The movement has since sought to take up other issues beyond education, including government accountability and democratic institutions.