Jantar Mantar 2.0? CJP’s 3 Demands: CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation, SIR Freeze, Voter Roll Restoration

CJP Issues 48-Hour Ultimatum

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Thursday, September 24, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his resignation.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke announced the demand at a press conference in New Delhi and warned that the party would launch nationwide protests if Kumar did not step down within the deadline. The group has described the proposed Delhi mobilisation as “Jantar Mantar 2.0.”

First Demand: Gyanesh Kumar's Resignation

CJP's first demand is the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar within 48 hours.

The party has also called for criminal proceedings against the CEC and sought an explanation regarding what it alleges was the basis for decisions affecting voters. These are allegations and demands made by CJP and are not established findings of a court or independent authority.

Second Demand: Freeze SIR and Upcoming Elections

The second demand concerns the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

CJP has called for an immediate freeze on SIR and a halt to upcoming elections. It has also demanded the restoration of the voter list that existed in January 2025 while the electoral-roll controversy is addressed.

Third Demand: Repeal 2023 Election Commission Law

The party's third demand is the repeal of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023.

CJP has called for the existing law governing the appointment of Election Commissioners to be replaced with a new framework involving civil society participation.

CJP Cites Voter-Count Changes

To support its concerns, CJP highlighted substantial reductions in voter numbers that it says occurred during the ongoing revision process.

According to the figures cited by the party, more than two crore names were excluded in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, around one crore in Karnataka, 97 lakh in Tamil Nadu, 90 lakh in West Bengal, 73 lakh in Telangana, 47 lakh in Delhi and 24 lakh in Kerala.

These figures were presented by CJP as part of its allegations concerning voter-roll changes and should not be treated as independently established evidence of wrongful deletion.

Reports of Objections Within Election Commission

The CJP's demands came amid reports about objections reportedly raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.

According to a report cited by multiple outlets, the two commissioners recorded objections at least 14 times over a period of around 10 months. The reported concerns included changes to Form 6, centralisation of electoral-roll systems, appeals concerning deleted voters and restoration of names.

Election Commission's Response

The Election Commission has rejected the interpretation that the reported differences amount to an institutional split.

The ECI has said that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations within a multi-member constitutional institution. It has also maintained that decisions concerning SIR were taken unanimously with the approval of the Election Commissioners and the CEC.

Nationwide Protest Threat

CJP has warned that failure to meet its demands could lead to demonstrations across the country.

Dipke said the group would begin a nationwide protest campaign before moving towards a major demonstration at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. The proposed mobilisation has been described by the party as “Jantar Mantar 2.0.”

Wider Political Dispute Over SIR

The CJP's demands come as political parties and civil-society groups continue to debate the Special Intensive Revision and electoral-roll management.

Congress and other Opposition leaders have separately protested against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, while the Election Commission has defended its procedures and legal framework. Protests were reported across several states on September 25, including Assam, Manipur, Bihar and West Bengal.

Key Takeaways

• CJP issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.

• The party demanded an immediate freeze on SIR.

• CJP also called for a halt to upcoming elections.

• It demanded restoration of the January 2025 voter list.

• The party called for repeal of the 2023 law governing the appointment of Election Commissioners.

• CJP cited voter-count reductions in several states as part of its allegations.

• Reports of objections by Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi have added to the controversy.

• The Election Commission said differing views are part of normal institutional deliberations and maintained that SIR decisions were unanimous.

• CJP warned of nationwide protests and a proposed “Jantar Mantar 2.0” mobilisation if its demands are not met.