Sign changes of \(\pi(x,q,1) - \pi(x,q,a)\) (Q1882137)

Assuming the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis the function \(\pi(x,q,1)-\pi(x,q,a)\) has infinitely many sign changes. Given a bijection \(\sigma\) of the set \(\{1,2,\dots,\varphi(q)\}\), it is unknown if there are arbitrary large values \(x\) such that the inequalities \[ \pi(x,q,\sigma(1))>\pi(x,q,\sigma(2))>\dots>\pi(x,q,\sigma(\varphi(q))) \] hold \((\varphi(q)>2)\). The author proves -- assuming the GRH -- a lower bound on the number of sign changes of \(\pi(t,q,1)-\max_{a\not\equiv\pmod q} \pi (x,q,a)\) in the range \(1\leq t\leq x\). It is explicit, but depends on \(f(q)\), the number of solutions of the congruence \(x^2\equiv 1\pmod q\). By the same arguments the author proves a lower bound on the number of sign changes of \(\pi(x)-\text{li}x\), assuming GRH, too.