Politics
Police crack down as 'cockroach' movement protests India's election chief
October 2, 2026 at 12:01 PM · Updated 14d ago
Coverage
3 reports · over 9 hours
AJAl Jazeera English
Can India’s ‘cockroach’ movement oust Modi’s election chief?
(opens the publisher’s site)
AJAl Jazeera English
Indian authorities clamp down as ‘cockroach’ movement launches new protests
(opens the publisher’s site)
BNBBC News
CEC Gyanesh Kumar: India's 'cockroach' protesters are back - this time asking poll chief to resign
(opens the publisher’s site)Indian authorities arrested hundreds as Gen Z-led demonstrators gathered in New Delhi and Mumbai to demand Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
- Police barricaded the New Delhi protest site, closed at least 11 metro stations and arrested more than 500 people, including former Chief Minister Atishi Marlena.
- CJP convenor Saurav Das said the protests will end only when Kumar resigns: "He has to go."
- Demonstrator Rishabh Singh said the right to protest is a fundamental right and that protesters want answers on "vote theft."
- The Election Commission has denied manipulating voter rolls, saying the revision removed duplicate, deceased and ineligible voters.
- Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar overruled fellow commissioners on a voter-list revision that removed over 130 million names.
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged treason charges against Chief Election Commissioner Kumar amid the ongoing protests.