India's CJP trains guns at polls chief

Leaders of an Indian youth movement on Thursday threatened nationwide protests if Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar does not resign within 48 hours, escalating a political dispute over alleged disagreements within the Election Commission and changes to voter lists. The announcement followed a report by the Indian Express newspaper that two election commissioners had raised questions or expressed concerns at least 14 times over 10 months, mostly regarding the process of updating voter lists that began last year. The report triggered a fresh political backlash against the commission, which opposition parties have accused of bias. They allege that millions of voters were removed without warning and that new names were added without proper verification to benefit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "If Gyanesh Kumar does not resign within 48 hours, the Cockroach Janta Party will start a nationwide agitation ... we will not back down without Gyanesh Kumar's resignation," CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke told a press conference. The movement recently emerged from youth demonstrations in July that resulted in the resignation of Modi's education minister over allegations involving examination-paper leaks, marking one of the government's significant political setbacks since Modi came to power in 2014. Meanwhile, the main opposition Congress party announced protest marches at election offices across all Indian states on Friday. It is demanding Kumar's arrest and removal from office, as well as an independent review of decisions and voter-list changes made during his tenure. In a statement on Wednesday, the Election Commission rejected the allegations, saying that "differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberation in any institution" and are part of the process before a final decision is reached.