Indian opposition seeks Gyanesh’s removal
India’s opposition parties on Saturday staged a symbolic “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, demanding his removal over alleged manipulation of electoral rolls during an exercise to verify around one billion voters.
Rejecting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) allegation that the opposition was trying to protect “infiltrators” on voter lists, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said the INDIA bloc was fighting to safeguard the voting rights of Indian citizens.
“We are not seeking voting rights for infiltrators. We want to ensure that the voting rights of every Indian citizen are protected,” Kharge said.
“It is the BJP which is protecting ‘ghuspetiya’ (infiltrators), and the pot is calling the kettle black,” he alleged.
The symbolic proceedings, presided over by former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, were held at Kharge’s residence in New Delhi as opposition parties stepped up their campaign for the CEC’s removal.
INDIA bloc leaders, members of parliament, civil society representatives and people who claimed their names had been wrongfully deleted from electoral rolls attended the event.
The programme was organised ahead of a rally scheduled for Sunday at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi under the slogan ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’.
Moving the motion, Kharge accused Gyanesh Kumar of “treason” and read out a list of allegations against him. He demanded the CEC’s removal, repeal of the 2023 law governing the appointment of election commissioners and an end to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Kharge, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, alleged that Kumar was running the Election Commission at the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
“Today, the right to vote is under threat because CEC Gyanesh Kumar is running the Election Commission on the directions of Modi and Shah,” he said.
He said opposition MPs had submitted notices in both Houses of Parliament seeking the CEC’s removal, but their proposals were rejected.
The Congress president also alleged that the SIR exercise had deliberately removed around 14 crore voters from electoral rolls.
He accused Kumar of illegally amending Form 6, used for voter registration, without consulting Parliament, saying the move affected the voting rights of young people.
Kharge blamed the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, for enabling the CEC to take such actions and shielding the poll panel chief from accountability.
He alleged that the law was passed after 145 opposition MPs had been suspended from Parliament, preventing them from taking part in the proceedings.
Accusing Kumar of violating his constitutional mandate and betraying public trust, Kharge said INDIA bloc MPs, who he claimed represented 60% of the population, had resolved that the CEC should face trial for treason in a court.
The stage for the symbolic proceedings was designed to resemble the Lok Sabha, with a wooden-panelled backdrop and seats arranged in a semi-circular formation similar to Parliament. Microphones were installed in the first three rows.
The programme, initially scheduled for Friday, was postponed by a day because of rain in New Delhi.
Opening the proceedings, Meira Kumar said the gathering had been convened to hold a “public impeachment” of the CEC over alleged wrongful deletions of eligible voters’ names from electoral rolls.
Recalling former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s decision to lower the voting age to 18, Kharge said the move had empowered young people to participate in shaping the country’s future. He alleged that the Modi government was now threatening that right through its actions.
The opposition’s campaign centres on alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise and demands accountability from the Election Commission. The INDIA bloc is scheduled to hold a rally at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday under the slogan ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’.
