The INDIA bloc’s symbolic impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday intensified the political confrontation between the Opposition and the BJP over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. While Opposition leaders accused the Election Commission of undermining electoral democracy, BJP leaders defended the institution and criticised the proceedings.
Opposition adopts motion after three-hour proceedings
The INDIA bloc passed a symbolic motion seeking the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, unanimously adopting it by a show of hands after around three hours of speeches at a public impeachment programme in New Delhi. Held at 10, Rajaji Marg, the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the proceedings were presided over by former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.
Kharge moved six charges against Kumar, accusing him of conspiring to steal elections, deleting 13.2 crore voters, altering Form 6 without parliamentary approval, taking control of electoral rolls through ECINET, sidelining the other two Election Commissioners and acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
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Rahul Gandhi alleges 2024 election was ‘illegal’
Addressing the gathering, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that the deletion of 13.3 crore voter names had undermined the legitimacy of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. He described the public impeachment as an “extremely dangerous political weapon” against those who had colluded to deprive people of their voting rights and accused Kumar of treason in a post on X.
AISA president Neha Bora also accused the CEC of conspiring to deprive young people of their voting rights through unauthorised changes to Form 6. The INDIA bloc demanded Kumar's removal, a halt to the SIR exercise, restoration of deleted voter names and repeal of the law granting immunity to the CEC.
BJP leaders hit back at Opposition
BJP leaders criticised the INDIA bloc’s proceedings, describing them as an attempt to undermine constitutional institutions. Union Minister Piyush Goyal accused the Congress of attacking constitutional institutions and resorting to violence after electoral defeats, while BJP MPs Ravi Shankar Prasad and Sambit Patra mocked the symbolic impeachment exercise and targeted Rahul Gandhi. Union Minister Anupriya Patel accused the Opposition of attempting to destabilise the country by creating unrest and chaos.
Separately, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri called the INDIA bloc’s planned rally on November 1 a “serious political mistake”, citing its timing on the anniversary of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. BJP leader H S Phoolka also criticised the decision to hold the rally on that date.
INDIA bloc to hold rally at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday
The Opposition alliance is scheduled to hold a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday. Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in the national
capital for the event and met Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke, who said his outfit would extend solidarity to the rally but retain its independent identity.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor described Saturday’s proceedings as a “very dignified” and “positive” discussion, while Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said the rally would demonstrate public resentment against the government.
