Deletion numbers and loss margins in those seats are real. The hijack claim exaggerates intent.
- True: About 47,000 to 50,000 names were deleted in Mamata Banerjee's seat.
- True: Around 37,000 names were removed from Arvind Kejriwal's constituency.
- True: Over 100,000 names were deleted in M.K. Stalin's Kolathur seat.
- True: A protest demanding Gyanesh Kumar's resignation is set for 2 October in Mumbai.
Checked against: The Hindu (2), The New Indian Express, Newslaundry, prokerala.com, firstpost.com, The Economic Times, The News Minute, Mathrubhumi English, ABP Live English
Why we say that›
Gyanesh Kumar faces protest over reported vote deletions in opposition seats.
Numbers on deletions and margins match reports. Loaded label of hijacking democracy overstates evidence of motive.
Reported 2 Oct 2026
Claims
1 exaggerated · 4 true · 1 no record
- True, but exaggerated
Gyanesh Kumar hijacked democracy.
What we found
Allegations that electoral roll revisions deleted votes in opposition seats. Loaded hijack label is political reading of those claims.
- No record found
These vote deletions in the constituencies of opposition leaders Mamata Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal and M.K. Stalin were not mere coincidences.
What we found
No source establishes that deletions were deliberately targeted at specific opposition leaders rather than standard cleanup.
- True
In Mamata Banerjee's constituency, 51,000 votes were deleted and she lost by just 15,000 votes.
What we found
Roughly 47,000 to 50,000 names deleted in Bhabanipur. She lost by around 15,000 votes.
- True
In Arvind Kejriwal's constituency, 40,000 votes were deleted and he lost by just 4,000 votes.
What we found
About 37,000 names removed. He lost by a margin of around 4,000 votes.
- True
In M.K. Stalin's constituency, 100,000 votes were deleted and he lost by just 9,000 votes.
What we found
Over 100,000 names removed from Kolathur. He lost by around 8,800 votes.
- True
The gathering on 2 October in Mumbai is to demand Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
What we found
Cockroach Janta Party organised protest at Shivaji Park on October 2 calling for CEC resignation.
The full story, from the sources›
Arvind Kejriwal... lost... to BJPs Pravesh Verma by a margin of a little over 4,000 votes. - The News Minute (2025-02-09) Over 1 lakh voters deleted from Stalins Kolathur seat in TN draft electoral roll... more than 1,03,812 voters have been removed... - prokerala.com (2025-12-20) over 47,000 names struck off... total deletions to 47,094, a figure roughly 11,000 less than the over 58,000-vote margin secured by Banerjee in the 2021 Bhabanipur bypoll. - The Economic Times (2026-02-28) Adhikari secured 73,463 votes, while Banerjee finished second with 58,349 votes, marking a decisive result... losing to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari by a margin of around 15,000 votes. - firstpost.com (2026-05-04) TVK candidate VS Babu defeated Stalin with 82,997 votes, compared with Stalins 74,202 votes, winning by a margin of 8,795 votes. - Mathrubhumi English (2026-09-03)
From reporting
Predictions and opinions in it (2)›
- Prediction: Gyanesh Kumar must resign.
- Opinion: We will not sit back and let it happen.
How it's framed (4)›
Sources (10)›
Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke said on Thursday (October 1, 2026) that the group will hold a protest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park... on Friday (October 2, 2026). The protesters main demands include the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar
Dipke accused Kumar of posing a threat to Indias democracy and alleged that the Election Commission under him had effectively allowed the government to decide who would be allowed to vote.
The constituency – from where AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal lost with a thin margin to BJPs Pravesh Verma in 2025 – had 1,08,788 electors during the assembly elections. The SIR removed 37,315 of them...
Over 1 lakh voters deleted from Stalins Kolathur seat in TN draft electoral roll... more than 1,03,812 voters have been removed...
Adhikari secured 73,463 votes, while Banerjee finished second with 58,349 votes, marking a decisive result... losing to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari by a margin of around 15,000 votes.
over 47,000 names struck off... total deletions to 47,094, a figure roughly 11,000 less than the over 58,000-vote margin secured by Banerjee in the 2021 Bhabanipur bypoll.
Arvind Kejriwal... lost... to BJPs Pravesh Verma by a margin of a little over 4,000 votes.
TVK candidate VS Babu defeated Stalin with 82,997 votes, compared with Stalins 74,202 votes, winning by a margin of 8,795 votes.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Thursday (October 1, 2026) sought the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and warned of launching protests across the country... CJP to protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar in Mumbai on October 2...
Mamata Banerjee accused CEC Gyanesh Kumar of “hijacking the electoral process
Notes on this check (1)›
- The video could not be downloaded, so this check rests on the caption and images.
Checked against 10 sources · 2 Oct 2026
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