Police in India have used tear gas and water cannons to disperse and detain dozens of protesters demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar amid allegations that millions of voters were wrongly removed from electoral rolls. The demonstrations took place in several cities, including Chandigarh in the northwest, Patna in the northeast, and the state of Manipur in the east.
The protests were organized by the opposition Indian National Congress and civil rights groups, who argue that the voter list revisions over the past year have unfairly favored Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The opposition claims that the mass deletions have effectively suppressed the fundamental right to vote and tilted the electoral playing field. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi described the removals as part of a “vote theft” scheme allegedly orchestrated by Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. The BJP has rejected these accusations, characterizing them as baseless allegations from a frustrated political adversary.
The immediate catalyst for the protests was a report published by the Indian Express newspaper, which revealed that Kumar had allegedly disregarded at least 14 formal objections raised by two fellow election commissioners concerning the electoral roll revision process. Kumar, a former civil servant appointed as head of the election commission in February of last year, and the commission itself have denied any wrongdoing related to the voters’ deletion process.
Joining the opposition and civil society activists is the Cockroach Janta Party, a youth-led movement that has threatened to initiate a nationwide campaign if Kumar does not step down by a specified deadline. The group previously helped force the resignation of Modi’s education minister following protests over the country's exam system earlier this year. Protesters have called for Kumar’s arrest, accusing him of betraying the country.
Security forces blocked demonstrators from accessing key protest sites, including Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, a prominent gathering spot during previous youth-led protests. Police used water cannons and tear gas to prevent protestors from occupying public spaces in Chandigarh and Patna, with similar measures deployed in Manipur.
The opposition has voiced concerns about the overhaul of the electoral rolls since last year but intensified their demands for accountability following the recent media revelations. The election commission maintains that its actions were lawful and that the independent authority’s integrity remains intact. The debate over the electoral roll revisions and the legitimacy of Kumar’s leadership continues to stir political tensions in India.