New Delhi [India], September 24 (ANI): Opposition parties are set to move an impeachment motion notice against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in both Houses of Parliament, with the Congress reaching out to other opposition parties over the issue, party sources said on Thursday.
The notice is expected to be submitted within the next two weeks, according to Congress sources.
The move comes after fresh allegations and political exchanges over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI), following media reports related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The Indian Express published a fresh report stating that the Goa Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) wrote to authorities in Delhi eight times within seven days seeking access to certain facilities, but received no response.
The report followed an earlier media report which claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over a period of 10 months regarding decisions and orders linked to the SIR process.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra on Thursday lodged a formal complaint at Parliament Street Police Station against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of procedural violations, unilateral decision-making, and manipulation of electoral rolls.
Speaking to ANI after submitting the complaint, Moitra questioned the legal immunity provided to the Chief Election Commissioner under the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.
She said the protection from prosecution applies only when the Election Commission acts collectively as a multi-member body.
"I have come today to the Parliament Street Police Station and given a complaint to the police station here against 'Chor' Gyanesh Kumar, who is the Chief Election Commissioner of this country. And apparently he enjoys immunity under the CEC and EC Act of 2023, Section 16, which says that the Election Commissioners enjoy immunity from civil and criminal prosecution in the discharge of their duties. I'd like to point out that if acting as a concerted body, they may enjoy immunity," Moitra told ANI.
Furthermore, Senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari also criticised the recent decisions of the poll body, alleging that the country was witnessing a serious blow to its democratic foundation.
Speaking to ANI, Tiwari questioned why Bharatiya Janata Party leaders were responding to allegations raised against the Chief Election Commissioner.
"It reminds me of an old proverb, 'Begani Shaadi Mein Abdulla Diwana' (an unnecessary intermeddler). The reply should have been given by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) or the Election Commission regarding the allegations, but Sambit Patra of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is giving the response. This clearly shows that there is guilt on their part," he said.
Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala on Thursday accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of being “hijacked” and demanded an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, along with the removal and criminal investigation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Speaking to reporters on the issue, Surjewala alleged that the SIR exercise had resulted in the deletion of 13 crore voters across 19 states and claimed that Karnataka alone had seen 1.08 crore deletions, with another 43 lakh notices issued. These figures were presented by Surjewala as part of the Congress's allegations; the Election Commission has disputed the broader characterisation of its functioning and said its decisions were taken unanimously.
“We are here with an extremely important issue that affects our polity, our nation, our state of Karnataka, and our people. Democracy is founded upon the right to vote of every individual,” Surjewala said. (ANI)
Opposition parties to move impeachment motion notice against CEC Gyanesh Kumar in Parliament: Sources
