Cockroach Janta Party to protest at Shivaji Park on October 2, questions Election Commission

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has begun preparations for a protest in Mumbai, questioning the functioning of the Election Commission. The party said the protest will be held at Shivaji Park in Dadar on October 2, 2026, and a letter has been sent to the Mumbai Police seeking permission. The letter was sent by the party's national organisation chief, Ajinkya Shinde.

The letter to the police states that the protest will be held within constitutional bounds and in a peaceful manner. The party says the protest is being held over alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Election Commission and issues related to accountability in the electoral process.

Meanwhile, activist Sonam Wangchuk has extended his support to the Cockroach Janta Party's protest. He said it was important to support efforts under way to improve the electoral process and institutional accountability in the country. However, Wangchuk clarified that he is unlikely to be present at the October 2 protest himself.

Wangchuk said any movement should be capable of standing on its own rather than depending on one individual. He said he was happy to see many people coming forward on this issue. Wangchuk has previously supported the Cockroach Janta Party's protests and had himself joined one of the party's demonstrations in June 2026.

A report that has drawn attention over the Election Commission's functioning claims that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded written objections on at least 14 occasions over the past ten months regarding various decisions and processes. These objections reportedly relate to voter registration, the deletion and re-addition of voters' names, and the voter list database and software processes.

The matter has also triggered legal and political debate. A petition filed in the Kolhapur bench of the Bombay High Court also refers to these alleged 14 objections.

The Election Commission, responding to the matter, has said that such differences are part of the institution's normal deliberative process, and that decisions related to the electoral process have been taken unanimously by the full Commission.

The Cockroach Janta Party has now sought police permission for the October 2 protest at Shivaji Park in Mumbai. It remains to be seen whether the protest is actually permitted and what form it eventually takes.