India's viral Cockroach Party calls election panel head 'biggest threat' to democracy. Here's why it matters

Voters show their identity cards while waiting in a queue before casting their votes for the second and final phase of Rajasthan's urban local body elections in Jaipur, India, on September 11, 2026. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesCockroach Janta Party, the viral pseudo-political movement behind the Gen Z protests that rattled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in July, has demanded the resignation of India's chief election officer after claiming he had undermined the country's democracy.On Friday, Abhijeet Dipke, the founder of the CJP, said the party will begin a nationwide protest from Oct. 2 if the chief election officer does not resign by Saturday. In a press conference on Thursday, Dipke said the country's Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, "is the biggest threat to India's democracy," raising questions over his role in a recent electoral roll revision exercise that has led to the deletion of millions of voters.The exercise has given the government the power to select who can vote, rather than empowering voters to choose the government, Dipke said at a press conference.The three members of the Election Commission are handpicked by the government and appointe...