The Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) [NCP(SP)] on Saturday, 7 November 2026 voiced support for the Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) protest in Kochi against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, calling for maximum pressure to be applied on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure accountability.

What the Congress Said

Congress leader Udit Raj, commenting on the CJP demonstration, described the protest as welcome and stressed the need for sustained pressure on the electoral authority. 'It is welcome. As much pressure as possible needs to be put on the Election Commission. It is not as if there is a Congress government there, so nothing can go wrong. Preparing the electoral rolls is the Election Commission's responsibility. This is the work of the Election Commission of India,' he said.

NCP(SP) Demands CEC's Resignation

NCP(SP) National Spokesperson Clyde Crasto went further, raising concerns over the reported deletion of 13 crore names from voter lists across the country and calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. 'The 13 crore names removed from the voter lists belong to people across the country, from different states and regions. Therefore, if CJP is protesting against this, it is a legitimate protest, and they can hold it anywhere. Why were 13 crore names removed? Gyanesh Kumar should resign,' Crasto said.

Shiv Sena Criticises the Demonstration

Not all reactions were supportive. Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC, speaking in Maharashtra, dismissed the protest as political theatre, arguing it offered no concrete vision for the country's youth. 'CJP is once again staging a drama. Earlier, they were at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, and now they have reached Kochi. They are welcome, but it would be better if they explained their vision and plan. The youth of this country do not like this kind of political drama or performative activism. They want a vision and a concrete plan for jobs so that they can become self-reliant,' she said.

Key Details of the Kochi Protest

The CJP's march — titled 'Jantar Mantar at Kochi' — was held at Rajendra Maidan from 4 pm on Saturday. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, actor-activist Prakash Raj, CJP national leader Afreen Nawaz, and South India in-charge Vijay Reddy Mallangi were among those scheduled to attend.

The Kochi march is the CJP's first major mobilisation since several of its leaders were arrested in Delhi last month while attempting to organise a rally at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the SIR exercise. This comes amid a wider national debate over the legitimacy and transparency of the electoral rolls revision process, with opposition parties arguing the deletions disproportionately affect marginalised communities.

What Happens Next

The Election Commission of India has not publicly responded to the specific demands raised at the Kochi protest. With opposition parties now publicly amplifying the CJP's concerns, pressure on the ECI to issue a detailed explanation of the SIR methodology is likely to intensify in the coming days.