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Photograph: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images     (india-cockroach-movement-protests-mumbai-changes-voter-roll.html#img-1)   View image in fullscreen       Supporters of the Cockroach Janta party (CJP) protesting in Mumbai on Friday. Photograph: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images       (https://www.theguardian.com/world/india) India     India’s Cockroach movement launches new protests over changes to voter roll   Thousands gather in Mumbai with heavy police presence as concerns mount that millions will be denied voting rights         (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/hannah-ellis-petersen) Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Mumbai   Fri 2 Oct 2026 10.42 EDT  Last modified on Fri 2 Oct 2026 11.30 EDT   (mailto:?subject=India’s Cockroach movement launches new protests over changes to voter roll&body=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/02/india-cockroach-movement-protests-mumbai-changes-voter-roll?CMP=share_btn_url) Share          (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=theguardian.com) Prefer the Guardian on Google          India’s youth-led Cockroach movement kicked off more nationwide protests on Friday as thousands of people gathered in Mumbai, amid mounting concerns that millions of citizens are being (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/22/india-west-bengal-state-elections-millions-stripped-of-vote) unfairly stripped of their vote. The movement, which calls itself (https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2026/jul/25/i-will-die-for-this-cause-how-indias-cockroach-meme-became-the-biggest-challenge-to-modis-grip-on-power) the Cockroach Janta party (CJP) and has massive support among the country’s gen Zs, returned to the streets to demand the resignation of the chief election commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar.  Kumar has become a highly contentious figure after a report in the Indian Express newspaper alleged irregularities and internal concerns about a process to revise and “purify” India’s electoral register, called the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). SIR, which was overseen by Kumar, has resulted in (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/16/india-electoral-roll-special-intensive-revision-threatens-democracy-muslims) tens of millions of people being deleted from the electoral register. Large numbers are challenging their removal.       (Abhijeet Dipke pointing with a mic in his hand standing in front of a large crowd)   (india-cockroach-movement-protests-mumbai-changes-voter-roll.html#img-2)   View image in fullscreen       Abhijeet Dipke addresses supporters in Mumbai on Friday. Photograph: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images  Opposition politicians and civil society groups have alleged SIR is part of a widespread manipulation of India’s electoral system to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata party (BJP). (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/22/india-west-bengal-state-elections-millions-stripped-of-vote)  Millions in India stripped of vote before critical state election, as government seeks to ‘purify’ electoral roll     Read more        The CJP began as online satire but grew into a powerful manifestation of youth power and an unexpected challenge to the Narendra Modi government. There were protests for weeks in the heart of Delhi and the education minister was eventually pressured into (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/25/dharmendra-pradhan-india-education-minister-resigns-cockroach-movement) resigning in July . In the aftermath, the group declared it would remain active as a “pressure group” to hold the government to account on issues of education and democracy.       (Protesters chanting and holding placards)   (india-cockroach-movement-protests-mumbai-changes-voter-roll.html#img-3)   View image in fullscreen       Supporters of the All India Students Association demand the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar at a protest in Bengaluru. Photograph: Idrees Mohammed/AFP/Getty Images  Last week, after the revelations about the election commission, the CJP’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke, announced that if Kumar did not resign over the controversy, the “Cockroaches” would resume their agitation until he stepped down. Dipke said the Mumbai protest would kick off a nationwide movement, with more protests planned in Delhi, Goa, Kolkata and Bengaluru. The authorities denied permission for the group to hold their protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji park but Dipke had vowed to go ahead regardless. “We are fighting against those in power,” he said at a press conference. “We all remember Mahatma Gandhi, who fought against the Britishers. Did the British ever permit him to agitate?” Hundreds of people assembled in Mumbai on Friday afternoon, amid a heavy police presence, including many young people who said they were there to fight for India’s democracy. “Voting is the most basic right of any citizen, but because of the actions of Kumar and the election commission, that right is under attack,” said Deesha, 22, a student activist. “So many millions of people have lost their votes and aren’t even recognised as citizens of India any more. This attack on our democracy must stop. The first important step is to get Gyanesh Kumar to resign, and then SIR must be reversed.” Janvi Upadhyay, 18, said the Cockroach movement had awoken the young people of India “and if they think they can just come and take away votes and cheat the elections, we will show them just how wrong they are”. (india-cockroach-movement-protests-mumbai-changes-voter-roll.html#EmailSignup-skip-link-14) skip past newsletter promotion     Free newsletter | Weekly    Sign up to This is India  Niha Masih takes a look at the stories, ideas and news makers of modern India  ()   Enter your email  ()   Sign up      after newsletter promotion   “We already forced the education minister to resign. Gyanesh Kumar should be very worried right now because he is definitely next,” she said.       (A demonstrator holds a sign saying: ‘Resign Gyanesh Kumar’)   (india-cockroach-movement-protests-mumbai-changes-voter-roll.html#img-4)   View image in fullscreen       A demonstrator holding a placard wears a mask depicting the face of Gyanesh Kumar. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters  The election commission has denied wrongdoing in the SIR but in a move that appeared ​aimed at easing tensions, officials were directed to expedite the process to register newly eligible voters and those who claimed to have been wrongly omitted from electoral rolls. (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/sep/18/delhi-sex-workers-vote-modi-electoral-rolls-documentation-gb-road)  No hope, no vote … how most of Delhi’s sex workers are being struck off electoral rolls     Read more        Anger at Kumar and the election commission also erupted in Delhi on Friday, even as the police took draconian measures to try to stop people from protesting. Thousands of police were deployed to the Jantar Mantar protest site in Delhi – which was the epicentre of the last Cockroach agitation in July – a dozen metro stations in the surrounding area were closed and an internet shutdown was imposed. Hundreds of those who turned out to Jantar Mantar were immediately forced into police buses. The mass detentions of at least 700 people, including civil society leaders and opposition politicians, prompted outrage, with protesters leaning out of the bus windows to accuse police officers of depriving them of their fundamental democratic rights. Opposition parties said they would also start a nationwide protest movement to demand Kumar’s resignation. All opposition lawmakers plan to march to the election ​commission office in Delhi next week.         Explore more on these topics (https://www.theguardian.com/world/india) India  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/south-and-central-asia) South and central Asia  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/protest) Protest  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/news) news    (mailto:?subject=India’s Cockroach movement launches new protests over changes to voter roll&body=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/02/india-cockroach-movement-protests-mumbai-changes-voter-roll?CMP=share_btn_url) Share     (https://syndication.theguardian.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2026%2Foct%2F02%2Findia-cockroach-movement-protests-mumbai-changes-voter-roll&type=article&internalpagecode=world/2026/oct/02/india-cockroach-movement-protests-mumbai-changes-voter-roll) (Reuse this content) Reuse this content                  More on this story                        More on this story                       (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/10/indian-police-use-force-to-disperse-youth-protesters-calling-for-exam-overhaul)    ()      Police use teargas on young Indians as government jobs protest escalates   (Monday, August 10, 2026 at 01:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 10 Aug 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/28/india-cockroach-janta-party-cjp-demands-protesters-release)    ()      India’s Cockroach movement threatens to restart protests after mass student arrests   (Tuesday, July 28, 2026 at 03:23 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 28 Jul 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/sep/18/delhi-sex-workers-vote-modi-electoral-rolls-documentation-gb-road)    ()      No hope, no vote … how most of Delhi’s sex workers are being struck off electoral rolls   (Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 11:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 18 Sept 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/26/india-cockroach-protest-victory-signals-trouble-ahead-for-narendra-modi)    ()      India’s Cockroach Janta party protest victory signals trouble ahead for Modi   (Sunday, July 26, 2026 at 12:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 26 Jul 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/04/india-bjp-rare-byelection-loss-cockroach-student-protests)    ()      India’s ruling BJP loses byelection in stronghold after Cockroach student protests   (Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 01:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 4 Aug 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/25/india-celebrities-fiercely-criticised-silence-cockroach-cjp-protests)    ()      Indian celebrities fiercely criticised for silence on Cockroach protests   (Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 25 Jul 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/20/who-are-indias-cockroach-janta-party-and-why-are-they-staging-protests-)    ()      Who are India’s Cockroach Janta party and why are they staging protests?   (Monday, July 20, 2026 at 10:28 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 20 Jul 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/20/cockroach-janta-party-protest-march-sonam-wangchuk-india-parliament)    ()      Tens of thousands of Cockroach movement protesters defy police with Delhi march   (Monday, July 20, 2026 at 10:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 20 Jul 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/25/dharmendra-pradhan-india-education-minister-resigns-cockroach-movement)    ()      India’s education minister resigns in victory for Cockroach youth movement protests   (Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 09:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 25 Jul 2026           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jul/18/indian-activist-linked-to-cockroach-party-moved-to-hospital-after-20-day-hunger-strike)    ()      Indian activist linked to Cockroach party moved to hospital after 20-day hunger strike   (Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 12:37 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 18 Jul 2026                        Most viewed      Most viewed                                                               (https://www.theguardian.com/world) World  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) Europe  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) US news  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas) Americas  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia) Asia  (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news) Australia  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) Middle East  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa) Africa  (https://www.theguardian.com/inequality) Inequality  (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) Global development       (https://www.theguardian.com/) News  (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) Opinion  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Lifestyle    Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning (https://www.theguardian.com/info/2018/sep/17/guardian-us-morning-briefing-sign-up-to-stay-informed) Sign up for our email     (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us) About us  (https://manage.theguardian.com/help-centre) Help  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections) Complaints & corrections  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us/contact) Contact us  (https://www.theguardian.com/tips) Tip us off  (https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop) SecureDrop  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/privacy) Privacy policy  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies) Cookie policy  (https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2026/07/22/STL_Global_Tax_Strategy_for_the_year_to_31_March_2027.pdf) Tax strategy  (https://www.theguardian.com/help/terms-of-service) Terms & conditions   (https://www.theguardian.com/index/subjects/a) All topics  (https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) All writers  (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_US) Newsletters  (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital newspaper archive  (https://bsky.app/profile/us.theguardian.com) Bluesky  (https://www.facebook.com/theguardian) Facebook  (https://www.instagram.com/guardian) Instagram  (https://www.linkedin.com/company/theguardian) LinkedIn  (https://www.threads.com/@guardian_us) Threads  (https://www.tiktok.com/@guardian) TikTok  (https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGuardian) YouTube   (https://usadvertising.theguardian.com) Advertise with us  (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-labs-us) Guardian Labs  (https://jobs.theguardian.com) Search jobs  (https://workwithus.theguardian.com/) Work with us  (https://www.theguardian.com/help/accessibility-help) Accessibility settings         (india-cockroach-movement-protests-mumbai-changes-voter-roll.html#top) Back to top      © 2026Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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