The campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is about to get younger and louder. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), along with student and youth organisations, has called for a nationwide "Chalo Delhi" mobilisation at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, October 10, demanding the CEC's removal and an end to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The call, made at a press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday, October 7, came on the same day Delhi Police detained Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and several INDIA bloc MPs for a second straight day as they tried to march towards Jantar Mantar.
What the organisers are demanding
CJP co-convenor and chief spokesperson Saurav Das described the event as a Gen Z and youth protest rather than a single party's show. "Pack your bags. It will be a long fight," he told supporters. "Even if Gyanesh Kumar resigns, we will not bow down." He also said, "We will demand systemic reforms, not just the CEC's removal."
The groups have listed these demands:
- Removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, and criminal proceedings against him (CJP's demand).
- Withdrawal of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
- Restoration of the January 2025 voter list, followed by an independent inquiry.
- Repeal of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023.
- A new, transparent law for appointing election commissioners, framed after public consultation.
The organisers claim that nearly 13 crore voters have been removed from electoral rolls. They did not provide data to support the figure at the briefing.
Who is joining
| Group | Represented by |
|---|---|
| Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) | Saurav Das, co-convenor and spokesperson |
| All India Students' Association (AISA) | Neha Bora, president |
| Students' Federation of India (SFI) | Adarsh M. Saji, president |
| Other student and youth bodies | AISF, ASAP, DYFI, AIYF, RYA, RYF, AIDYO and AIYL |
AISA's Neha Bora called the alleged deletions a "murder of democracy", while SFI's Adarsh M. Saji accused the CEC of "stealing the votes of citizens". These are the protesters' allegations and have not been independently verified.
Police intimation, not permission
CJP has submitted a letter to Parliament Street police station informing Delhi Police about the gathering. Das stressed that this was an intimation and not a request for permission. According to reports, police acknowledged the letter and took an undertaking from the organisers. The groups have also accused police of using excessive force at earlier protests, claims that have not been independently verified and on which police have not publicly responded.
The bigger picture: INDIA bloc on the streets
The youth protest builds on two days of confrontation between the Opposition and Delhi Police. On October 7, INDIA bloc MPs set out by bus for Jantar Mantar after a lunch meeting in central Delhi, but were stopped near the Shangri-La hotel and staged a sit-in at a roundabout. Rahul Gandhi was taken to Barakhamba Road police station, and Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders to Chhatrasal Stadium. Both were released a little after 8 pm.
"We are not going to stop protesting till Gyanesh Kumar resigns," Rahul Gandhi posted on X. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the party was ready to take to the streets as many times as needed. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, who flew to Delhi in solidarity, called it the "GK, SIR Go Back" movement, likening it to the "Simon Go Back" agitation.
Not every Opposition party is in step, though. The Aam Aadmi Party chose to skip the march to the EC office, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's absence from the INDIA bloc lunch has sparked talk of differences within the alliance.
Who is the Cockroach Janta Party?
CJP is a satirical, youth-driven political movement founded on May 16, 2026, by political communications strategist Abhijeet Dipke. It is not a registered political party. It grew at remarkable speed on Instagram and has since moved from memes to the street, including a sit-in at Jantar Mantar in June over the NEET paper leak. Critics call it online political theatre; supporters say it has given young voters a voice outside traditional parties.
What happens next
All eyes will be on how many people turn up at Jantar Mantar on Saturday and how Delhi Police manage the crowd. With the Opposition promising to take the fight "from the streets to Parliament", the row over electoral rolls is likely to dominate the political agenda in the weeks ahead.
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