CJP’s Gyanesh Kumar Ultimatum: Will ‘Jantar Mantar 2.0’ Begin?

Spread love

By TRH Op-Ed Desk

Manish Anand examines the Cockroach Janta Party’s 48-hour deadline, SIR demands and the political test ahead for the Election Commission.

New Delhi, September 25, 2026 — The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has opened a new political front over the Election Commission of India, giving Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar 48 hours to resign and warning of nationwide protests followed by a possible “Jantar Mantar 2.0”. The organisation has also demanded changes to the system for appointing Election Commissioners and a freeze on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

In a monologue for The Raisina Hills, political analyst Manish Anand said the breadth of CJP’s demands would make the proposed agitation a significant test for both the organisation and the government.

“The demands are very comprehensive — the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, changes in the selection process, a halt to SIR and even a call to defer upcoming elections,” Manish Anand, a political analyst, said in a monologue for The Raisina Hills.

Anand said the immediate question is whether CJP can recreate the mobilisation it witnessed during its earlier Jantar Mantar protest. CJP’s previous agitation, which centred on examination-related issues and included protests involving Sonam Wangchuk, ended after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned in July. Contemporary reports documented the resignation and the subsequent winding down of the protest.

The new campaign, however, is focused on electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission. CJP has launched an “Election Commission Thik Karo” campaign and has linked its demands to concerns over SIR and voter rights.

Anand argued that issues such as unemployment, inflation and dissatisfaction over economic conditions could potentially become part of the wider political backdrop to a protest. He also highlighted the importance of Delhi as a protest venue because of its proximity to Parliament and the concentration of national media.

The political analyst also raised the question of how the government and Delhi Police might respond if CJP attempts to return to Jantar Mantar. He pointed to two possible approaches: preventing a large gathering or keeping a channel for dialogue open.

“The biggest question is whether CJP will be able to bring the same crowd to Jantar Mantar, and whether the Delhi Police will allow it to sit there,” Anand said.

CJP’s latest demands come amid a wider controversy over the Election Commission’s handling of electoral-roll revisions. More than 31 lakh Delhi electors have received SIR notices over discrepancies or other issues identified during the revision process. The Election Commission has clarified that receiving a notice does not automatically mean deletion from the electoral roll.

The Supreme Court has also raised concerns over the manner in which some SIR notices were issued, with the court observing that several appeared to have been generated “almost mechanically” and suggesting that voters be allowed to respond through digital channels.

Anand said the CJP campaign therefore represents a new test for the organisation. The outcome, he argued, will depend on whether it can convert its demands into sustained public mobilisation and whether the government chooses confrontation, dialogue or a combination of both.

“The Election Commission issue is now the real test — the moment of reckoning for CJP,” Anand said.