The case against the CJP Gyanesh Kumar is now escalating with Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) urging the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to step down within 48 hours. This development follows an investigation conducted by the Indian Express which revealed that Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, who serve as Election Commissioners, have objected at least 14 times in 10 months to certain aspects concerning electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
CJP Gyanesh Kumar: What Did CJP Demand?
During a press conference held on September 24 in New Delhi, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and co-convenors Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka made three major demands.
One of the major demands included the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar and an investigation of him, as well as the persons he was said to direct the controversial actions, criminally.
CJP also demanded that all forthcoming elections be postponed and the SIR suspended with electoral rolls being reverted to their January 2025 position.
Third, it sought the repeal of the law of 2023 governing the appointments of the CEC and Election Commissioners with a new regime allowing broader participation of civil society in the process.
CJP also sought the securing of records related to the SIR and their independent analysis.
What Triggered the CJP Election Commission Protest?
The immediate trigger was the Indian Express investigation, revealing repeated objections raised internally by Sandhu and Joshi regarding Form 6, voter additions/deletions, electoral roll systems and SIR.
The Election Commission rejects the view that the objections raise doubts about the existence of a difference of opinion regarding the final decisions made. The ECI claims that having differing views and opinions is a normal procedure in an institutional body where all final decisions including those on SIR were made unanimously.
What Happens Next?
CJP has issued a threat of nationwide agitation and another Jantar Mantar agitation if Kumar does not resign by the specified deadline. On the other hand, the political issue too is becoming increasingly controversial, as the opposition parties call for taking some action against the CEC.
To the voters, the real problem at stake is not just a demand from any particular party. It is about answering some pertinent questions related to the process of voter-list updating, SIR, transparency of institutions, and the decision of the EC.
DemocraX will continue monitoring the ECI-SIR controversy and Gyanesh Kumar case with the coming of verified information.
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