Indian authorities have arrested hundreds of protesters in New Delhi as the Gen Z-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and opposition groups staged demonstrations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Police and paramilitary personnel surrounded the protest area around Jantar Mantar on Friday and detained demonstrators as they arrived. Authorities also closed at least 11 nearby metro stations and ordered protesters to disperse.
Reports said more than 500 people had been arrested in New Delhi, including former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena, members of the Aam Aadmi Party and student organisations.
The protesters are demanding answers over alleged irregularities in India’s voter registration and electoral rolls. The CJP cited reports that Kumar’s two deputies had raised concerns at least 14 times over the past 10 months regarding voter-list revisions, registration procedures and digital systems.
Critics allege that a nationwide voter-verification exercise resulted in millions of eligible voters being removed from electoral rolls and claimed the changes could benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. The Election Commission has rejected the allegations, saying the exercise was aimed at removing duplicate, deceased and ineligible voters.
The CJP said it would continue expanding protests across India until Kumar resigns. Opposition Congress-led demonstrations demanding his resignation are also expected to begin next week.
The so-called “Cockroach movement” began online as satire targeting the government before gaining millions of social-media followers and attracting thousands of people to street protests. Its earlier demonstrations contributed to the resignation of India’s education minister in July.
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