New Delhi: Hundreds of supporters of India’s “Cockroach” youth movement joined protests in New Delhi and Mumbai on Friday, demanding the resignation of the chief election commissioner over revisions to voter lists.
The demonstrations brought student and civil society groups onto the streets amid growing criticism of the Election Commission’s handling of voter registrations.
In New Delhi, police prevented protesters from gathering at Jantar Mantar, a designated protest site. The area was barricaded, and dozens of demonstrators were detained, along with some opposition leaders travelling to the venue.
Supporters also protested in Mumbai, India’s financial hub, extending the movement’s campaign beyond the capital.
The movement began online before adopting the name Cockroach Janata Party and organising street demonstrations. Its earlier protests led to the resignation of India’s education minister in July, according to the supplied account.
The latest demonstrations focus on changes to electoral rolls, which determine who is registered to vote.
Critics and opposition parties accuse the Election Commission of altering voter registrations to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These remain allegations attributed to the commission’s critics.
Friday’s protests added to pressure on the institution, which oversees elections across India, with demonstrators demanding accountability from its leadership.
