2026 anti-CEC protests are a series of protests in India starting from September 2026, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar and changes to the Election Commission of India's (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR), a process for revision and verification of voter rolls, as a result of the 2026 SIR/ECI controversy. The demonstrations have involved opposition parties belonging to the INDIA bloc, the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), and student and civil-society groups. Protests have taken place in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and other cities.
The protests followed an exposé published by The Indian Express, reporting that two other election commissioners had dissented on 14 occassions against unilateral decisions undertaken by Kumar on behalf of the commission and in breach of election commissioners act, 2023, related to the implementation of the 2025-26 SIR, a process that was already under public scrutiny for alleged voter roll manipulation and mass disenfranchisement, and that they had submitted written dissent towards these several times prior. The ECI has maintained since that all key decisions regarding the SIR had been unanimously taken and that dissenting opinions did not constitute decision-making of the ECI. The ECI has since implemented several decisions to address several concerns raised in the dissent, in the Supreme court, and in public discourse.
Background
Gyanesh Kumar, is the first chief election commissioner appointed through the controversial Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 in February 2025 with majority voting of the ruling BJP government, despite protest against the nomination by opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi, who was also a member of the selection panel.
The 2025–2026 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls began with Bihar in June 2025 and was subsequently extended to other states. The exercise was intended to verify and update electoral rolls. Reports on the revisions published in September 2026 stated that more than 71% of the names deleted up to that point had been classified under the category "absent, shifted or others". The West Bengal SIR was a particularly contentious topic as its process differed from the prior SIRs, including introduction centrally appointed officers 'micro-observers' specific to West Bengal SIR that had veto powers over decisions of state level officers, and a newly introduced Logical Discrepancy category under which 17% of all voters' names were categorized for removal from voter rolls based on algorithms the commission has refused to publish. Many voters that were removed, despite the Supreme Court intervention in its SIR, were not able to vote in the West Bengal legislative assembly elections, but were included again after hearing of appeals since. Many organizations have analyzed the SIR data regarding if SIR played a role in BJP's victory beyond strong incumbency sentiments against the TMC on the grounds that the SIR disproportionately affected muslims, women and other minority members considered likely to vote TMC, and as SIR removals vastly exceeded victory margins in the state.
On 23 September 2026, journalist Ritika Chopra, published a series of investigative reports in the The Indian Express, which alleged internal dissent within the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding its handling of Special Intensive Revisions (SIR), a process for revision and verification of voter rolls which was already under scrutiny for procedural flaws and administrative failures resulting in mass disenfranchisement of voters that were otherwise found eligible. The Indian Express exposé described at least 14 objections raised over 10 months by election commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi concerning decisions related to the SIR. According to the reporting, the objections concerned changes made to voter registration form without legal authorization, software integrity of recently introduced centralized software by the ECI which it connected to an incident of software error in Goa preventing eligible voters from appearing on the finalized voter roll, alleged filing of appeals against 2026 West Bengal SIR voter restoration that was undertaken by courts due to Supreme Court intervention, and concerns of centralization, transparency and protection of voter database.
Opposition parties have criticized SIR deletions as "vote theft", alleging that eligible voters had been excluded whereas the Election Commission of India and the ruling, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have maintained that the exercise was intended to remove duplicate, deceased and otherwise ineligible entries.
The ECI responded that the commissioners' queries and suggestions concerned operational matters at the draft stage and formed part of normal administrative practice. It maintained that the final decisions relating to the SIR were taken unanimously and claimed that dissenting opinions do not constitute decision making of the body.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and opposition parties subsequently demanded Kumar's resignation and called for the cancellation or suspension of the SIR. Other demands included restoring electoral rolls predating the revision, an independent inquiry into the process, a return to paper-ballot voting and repeal of the 2023 appointment law. The Congress demanded Kumar's resignation, cancellation of the SIR and a return to paper ballots, while the CJP also called for a temporary suspension of upcoming elections and criminal proceedings against him. INDIA bloc, a major political alliance of opposition parties, demanded temporary suspension of SIR, no deletion of voters without notice and hearing, publication of details of deleted voters, disclosure of internal records and decision making of the ECI, independent audit of the SIR including software employed in the process, and proper recording of all decisions made in the SIR process.
The BJP has characterized the reporting as fabrications, the demonstrations as promoting anarchy, and has accused opposition parties of undermining autonomy of the ECI and democratic process, while opposition leaders and civic bodies have argued that the revision threatened voting rights and electoral fairness and that the BJP had curtailed their right to protest in Delhi.
Overview
The Indian National Congress organised protests in several states demanding Kumar's resignation on 25 September; some demonstrators and party leaders also called for his arrest. Police used tear gas and water cannons in locations including Chandigarh, Chennai, Patna and Lucknow, while tear-gas shells were reported in Imphal. Demonstrators were detained in several states. In Assam, state Congress president Gaurav Gogoi was detained during a protest. Reuters reported demonstrations in at least a dozen states. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Commission of 'vote theft', while the BJP characterised the campaign as a reaction to electoral defeat. From 2 to 8 October, INDIA bloc alliance conducted a series of nationwide protests followed by a march to the Supreme Court for filing a petition. INDIA bloc also conducted a symbolic mock impeachment of Gyanesh Kumar on 31 Octoboer, in the style of Lok Sabha sessions precided by a former Lok Sabha speaker, alleging collusion with the BJP and voter roll manipulation followed by 'Dilli Chalo' rally at Ramlila Maidan.
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), gave Gyanesh 48 hours from 24 September, to resign as CEC and threatened nationwide protests starting from 2 October marking Gandhi Jayanti. Its demands included Gyanesh's resignation, criminal proceedings against him, a freeze on upcoming assembly elections and the rollback of the SIR. As demands remained unmet, the CJP organized the protests in recognition of Gandhi Jayanti, at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, and Shivaji Park, Mumbai using a 'Jail Bharo Andolan' strategy where protestors let themselves be arrested, since permission to organize protests at both locations was denied by police authorities. On 8 October, CJP organised a demonstration at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, Karnataka with involvement of Abhijeet Dipke, co-conveners Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, actor-activist Prakash Raj, digital commentator Dhruv Rathee and civil-society representatives. The event included a "People's Tribunal" where participants described alleged errors in electoral databases and exclusions from the rolls and a public "chappal protest", a protest involving footwear directed at effigies or posters of the ECI and the CEC. Following successful conduction of the protests, CJP announced a second phase of protests on 5 October, called "Jantar Mantar Protest 2.0", in reference to a different protest, starting from October 10 although permission to conduct protests there was not granted. The Delhi police invoked 168 BNSS for preventative policing and undertook several preventative measures including cancellation and rescheduling of trains bound to Delhi, closure of several Delhi metro stations, heavy barricading of the city, and also detaining key members of the protest before they could reach Jantar Mantar including 3 leading CJP members, major political figures participating in the protests and over 7,000 protestors who had assembled despite detention of key organizers.
The All India Students' Association (AISA) led a march in Delhi towards Jantar Mantar on 4 October, that was stopped by police barricades on Ashoka Road. Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena among other political parties, also organized a march in Mumbai demanding SIR to be scrapped and return to paper ballots, "Virat Garjana Morcha" from Metro Cinema to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters in Mumbai attended by nearly 6000 people. The Hindu reported that nearly 500 people were detained on 4 October in Delhi, while other reporting gave a lower figure of approximately 110 for detentions associated with the day's clashes including AISA national president, Neha Bora. Reports also said that 12 to 15 police personnel were injured. Three women journalists filed FIR alleging sexual harassment by Delhi ACP, Vivek Bhagat in the protests, who were counter sued for discriminatory remarks under SC/ST act. The case is being examined in the Supreme court based on petition by Network for Women in Media and Delhi Union of Journalists. Following the incident, all senior police officers were directed to wear bodycams. On 11 October, Bora publicly announced protests at RK Ashram but instead marched towards Connaught Place leading to brief detainment of a look-alike. Bora received a show-cause notice requiring her to sign a peace bond on October 17. Bora claimed that it was a tactic to curb protests and challenged the order in court.
The Students' Federation of India and the All India United Students' Federation staged protests in Chennai, demanding the resignation or removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Around 150 people were detained, and a First Information Report (FIR) was registered in connection with the protests. Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin criticised the arrests. The youth organisation Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) held a protest at the Red Fort, followed by another protest along the Yamuna river on 11 October. KYS activists described these locations as new sites of protest after being denied access to the streets. The organisation also staged a protest outside the Supreme Court of India, demanding action against the Delhi Police over the detention of peaceful protesters, which the protesters alleged violated the court's directions.
Due to ongoing festival season including Dussehra and Diwali, major protests were paused by the CJP and opposition parties for mid-October although some student organizations and civic bodies continued protests in limited capacity.
Jantar Mantar 2.0 protest
On 5 October, CJP announced further demonstrations at Jantar Mantar on 10 October, referred to as "Jantar Mantar 2.0". The Delhi Police denied permission for the gathering citing late submission of request. According to reports by The Hindu, ahead of the proposed protest, police conducted overnight operations and detained people with criminal records. Authorities imposed extensive security restrictions in Delhi ahead of the protest by invoking 168 BNSS for preventative measures against cognizable offense, including the closure of 45 metro stations, restrictions on mobile internet services in parts of central Delhi, cancellation and rescheduling of over 200 trains, barricades and the deployment of over 20,000 police and paramilitary personnel.