New Delhi, September 24, 2026: A controversy over how the Election Commission of India (ECI) takes decisions escalated on Thursday. The Opposition, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and the ruling side traded sharp charges, while a separate dispute over the software used in electoral roll revision added to the pressure on the poll body.
Allegations of decisions taken without full Commission’s knowledge
The row began on Wednesday (September 23), when Opposition parties demanded the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. They were reacting to an Indian Express exposé claiming that two of the three Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, had formally recorded objections at least 14 times over the last 10 months.
According to the report, the two Commissioners said major decisions were being issued in the name of the full Commission without their knowledge. They described several of these as “unauthorised and illegal.”
ECI: “Only one part of the picture”
The ECI responded on Wednesday, saying all its actions have been in accordance with the law and the Commission’s instructions. It argued that highlighting selected internal notes spread over 10 months, while overlooking the much larger body of approvals, decisions, instructions and initiatives, presents only “one part of the picture.”
Cockroach Janta Party issues 48-hour ultimatum
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said Gyanesh Kumar “must resign” to ensure free and fair elections. He said that if the CEC does not step down within 48 hours, the party will launch a nationwide agitation on the lines of the Jantar Mantar protest held in June. The Cockroach Janta Party has threatened what it called “Jantar Mantar 2.0.”
Saying that young people should come forward to save the nation, Mr. Dipke asked, “Who is Gyanesh Kumar to revoke our right to vote?”
On Thursday, Mr. Dipke also urged Opposition parties to take a firm position on the issue. If they believe elections are rigged, he said, they should take a stand, because they cannot both participate in the election and speak against rigging.
It is important to note that Indian education minister had to resign, earlier this year after CJP’s protests at Jantar Mantar.
Assam CM defends CEC
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma defended the CEC on Thursday, asserting that the Chief Election Commissioner cannot take decisions without consulting the other Election Commissioners. He alleged that the CEC was being targeted in a “political campaign” that showed the “frustration” of the Opposition and “dimagi (intellectual) Naxals.”
Mr. Sarma maintained that the ECI functions as a collective body and that all decisions carry the signatures of the CEC and the two Election Commissioners. (PTI)
Separate row: Software used for SIR
In a related development, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Saket Gokhale accused the ECI of withholding details of the software and algorithm used in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He cited an RTI response in which the poll panel said the information sought related to “commercial confidence, trade secrets and intellectual property matters.”
Sharing his application and the reply on X, Mr. Gokhale questioned why details of software used by a public authority were being withheld on commercial grounds. He asked which company’s commercial interest was being protected.
His RTI application, dated April 17, sought technical documents on the “Logical Discrepancy” module or algorithm integrated into ERONET for the SIR in West Bengal. The request covered its software and functional requirements, the logic and parameters used to flag discrepancies, procurement and development documents, testing and validation reports, file notings, and instructions issued to electoral registration officers.
The Cockroach Janta Party’s 48-hour deadline turns a dispute over internal procedure into a street-level political test. The core question is whether the Election Commission acts collectively, as the ECI and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma maintain, or whether decisions were issued without two commissioners’ knowledge, as the Indian Express report claims. Meanwhile, the SIR software row deepens concerns over transparency. Much now depends on whether the ECI offers detailed clarifications and whether the CJP follows through on its threat.