Gyanesh, it's done bro: CJP signals protest, to hold presser today over SIR row

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) cancelled its programmes scheduled for today and announced a press conference in Delhi at noon after a report highlighted repeated objections by two Election Commissioners to decisions taken by the poll panel, including those linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Taking a swipe at Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke used the popular meme 'it's done bro' and hinted at a possible campaign on EC reforms. “Election Commission thik karo (Fix the Election Commission)! Important PC tomorrow (Thursday) in Delhi. Gyanesh, it’s done bro,” Dipke tweeted.

The CJP said its leadership would address the press conference on 'Hijacking of India’s democracy'.

'GYANESH, IT'S DONE BRO'

CJP chief spokesperson Saurav Das said the outfit would now focus on the functioning of the Election Commission (EC) and the protection of the right to vote.

In a video statement, Das said the CJP could continue with its campaigns on school infrastructure, unemployment and examination irregularities, but argued that such efforts would have little impact if people could not exercise their right to vote.

“We can do as many school theek karos, we can do as many adivasi school theek karos... but nothing is going to help if our final tool that we can use to change our system, the right to vote, is stolen from us,” Das said.

He alleged that the EC was “stealing our votes” and claimed the poll body was compromised. “The fundamental tool to bring change is elections,” he said, asking how anything could change if elections were taken away from people.

WHAT THE REPORT SAID ABOUT EC RIFT

The CJP's announcement came after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders of the EC.

The objections reportedly covered issues including the addition, deletion and restoration of voters, changes to the voter registration process and aspects of the SIR exercise.

The report said the two commissioners had also raised concerns over changes to Form 6, used by new voters to register themselves, as well as access to the electoral roll database.

The Opposition has stepped up its criticism of the Election Commission following the report, with some parties demanding the scrapping of SIR and action against Gyanesh Kumar.

EC SAYS DECISIONS WERE UNANIMOUS

The Election Commission, however, downplayed the report and said that differing views and comments were part of the normal deliberative process. The poll panel maintained that decisions of the EC, including those concerning SIR, were taken unanimously with the approval of all three commissioners.

The CJP, meanwhile, has signalled that the functioning of the poll panel will be a major focus of its Delhi press conference on Thursday.