MUMBAI: Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has announced a nationwide agitation starting from Mumbai on October 2 against alleged irregularities in electoral rolls. He demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, calling for greater accountability in the functioning of the Election Commission (EC).
Mumbai police have however denied permission for the proposed protest, citing restrictions on the use of the ground, the absence of the required civic permission and concerns over noise and traffic. This led chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to state that if the protest went ahead, protesters would be jailed for three days before getting bail. He appealed to participants in the agitation to avoid carrying political party flags or banners, describing the proposed protest as a citizens’ movement. He also alleged that the EC was functioning under the influence of the political executive. “The CJP will not be part of any political programme either. The protesters’ main demands include the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and the filing of criminal charges against him.
The agitation will start at 4 pm near Gate No. 6 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park on Gandhi Jayanti in Mumbai, he said, and subsequently be taken to different parts of the country – such as Goa and Kolkata — before culminating in a sit-in at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. Earlier reporting noted: CEC row LIVE: CJP, Congress to organise separate protests today Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke said on Thursday (October 1, 2026) that the group will hold a protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Friday (October 2).
“The CJP’s three principal demands are the resignation of Kumar, freezing the electoral roll prepared in 2025 and holding elections on the basis of that roll, and a transparent and independent process for appointing the next Election Commissioner, with participation from civil society,” he said, at a media interaction in Mumbai on Thursday. “It will continue till Kumar resigns,” he said. Dipke reacted by saying, “Mee punha yein (I will be back),” mocking the line made famous by Fadnavis during a pre-poll speech ahead of the 2019 Assembly elections. “Even jail will not stop this agitation,” Dipke said, underlining that members will not withdraw even if they face arrest. “We are not joining hands with any political party,” he said. “People have completely lost faith in the electoral process,” Dipke said, calling attention to the revision of electoral rolls and “how the government was deciding who would remain on the voters’ list”. He said that as Gyanesh Kumar was appointed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit shah, they should sack him. “If they do not sack Kumar, the anger against the CEC will turn towards Modi and Shah,” he said. He however said that the CJP is not taking help from any single political party as they want to keep this an independent movement. This is an independent movement and it will remain one” he said. Dipke had gathered at Marine Drive along with a group of supporters holding placards, an official said. The woman officer asked him about his identity and hometown during the ride to the police station,” the official said.
Earlier reporting noted: Mr. Earlier reporting noted: “A team which included a woman inspector approached Dipke and escorted him to Marine Drive police station in a van.
