Aaditya Thackeray backs Dipke's demand for CEC chief Gyanesh Kumar's resignation and protest plan
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray supported Abhijeet Dipke's call for a nationwide protest if Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar does not step down by Saturday.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, announced a threat to launch a nationwide protest from Mumbai on October 2 unless Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar resigns by Saturday. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray publicly endorsed this demand, pledging massive turnout in Mumbai against alleged voter-list manipulation. Dipke's stance follows a media report that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi lodged at least 14 objections over ten months to the special intensive revision of electoral rolls.
He accused Kumar of turning the Election Commission into an autocratic body that decides who can vote. The Election Commission dismissed claims of institutional breakdown, saying internal disagreements are normal in a multi-member constitutional body.
Why it matters
The call challenges the credibility of India's election administration ahead of upcoming polls.
How this story developed
- Sep 23 Election Commission denies internal dissent, says all decisions were unanimous
- Sep 23 Congress senior filed a petition urging the Supreme Court to intervene and summon the Election Commission members.
- Sep 25 A Supreme Court petition seeking criminal prosecution of the chief election commissioner was filed.
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