A man visits the web page of the newly formed Cockroach Janta Party on a laptop in Dharamshala, India. File
| Photo Credit: AP
A lawyer-activist has filed an application with the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the Registration of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) as a political party under the Representation of the People’s Act.
The lawyer Sudhir Jakhar, a resident of Panipat in Haryana, told The Hindu that he had to move in for the registration of the party as Boston-based Abhijeet Dipke, who had formed the satirical platform on social media, was not in a position to come to India.
Mr. Jakhar said he had been a student leader and has since been associated with the farmers’ agitation.
The application, a copy of which is available with The Hindu, seeks to register the Cockroach Janta Party as a political party under section 29 (A) of the RPI Act, 1951. Mr. Jakhar has listed himself as the national convener of the party.
“The proposed political movement has emerged as a people-centric democratic initiative dedicated towards community service, constitutional awareness, social accountability, environmental protection, animal welfare, transparency in governance and promotion of fundamental duties enshrined under 51 (A) of the constitution of India,” the application said.
Mr. Jakhar said that he will submit some fresh documents again on Wednesday (May 27, 2026).
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a viral satirical online movement, was founded by Mr. Dipke following remarks by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on May 15 that certain unemployed youth behave “like cockroaches” and “parasites of society”. The CJI later clarified that his remarks had been misrepresented. The movement quickly amassed tens of millions of followers on Instagram.
The government had taken down the X handle of the party, citing national security concerns. Mr. Dipke approached the Delhi High Court on Tuesday (May 26, 2026), challenging the blocking of the party’s X account.
The demands of the party listed in Mr. Jakhar’s application include promotion of fundamental duties under the Constitution’s Article 51A, democratic participation, social audit of governance, environmental protection, animal welfare, legal awareness, whistleblower protection, transparency, communal harmony, and peaceful democratic reforms.
They are different from CJP’s original five demands, which were — no Rajya Sabha seats for retired Chief Justices, prosecution under anti-terror law for vote deletions, 50% women’s reservation in Parliament and Cabinet, cancellation of media licences of billionaire industrialists, and a 20-year ban on political defectors.
While the registration of a party is optional, it enables a political outfit to claim certain benefits under the law, such as accepting donations.
The ECI registers political parties under section 29 (A) of the RPA Act, as well as the guidelines of the Registration of Political Parties. It can also determine a registered party’s authorised office-bearers under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
Published – May 27, 2026 02:36 am IST
