‘Public impeachment’ of CEC: INDIA bloc slaps ‘six charges’, Kharge slams Modi government | Political Pulse News
The Opposition INDIA bloc on Saturday held a symbolic “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over various alleged electoral irregularities as well as the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
During its proceedings presided over by former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Congress president and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, moved the “motion”, levelling six charges against the CEC, accusing him of “conspiring to steal elections” and “acting at the behest” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Detailing the Opposition bloc’s charges against Gyanesh Kumar, Kharge alleged that he “deleted 13.2 crore voters” during the SIR exercise, “rewrote Form 6” without Parliament’s approval, “seized the electoral rolls through ECINET” and “shut out the other two Election Commissioners”.
Among the INDIA alliance leaders who attended the mock impeachment event were Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Dharmendra Yadav, TMC MP Saugata Roy, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, CPI(M) MP John Brittas, CPI’s P Sandosh Kumar and other Opposition leaders and MPs.
Several members of the civil society, including Yogendra Yadav and Nikhil Dey, student leaders, and some people whose names were deleted from the voter list also participated in the proceedings.
In his speech, Kharge said that “the right to vote, granted to our citizens through universal adult franchise under Article 326 of the Constitution of India, is today in grave danger”.
He said the Opposition MPs had submitted motions in both Houses of Parliament to seek the CEC’s impeachment, but their notices were rejected. In April this year, the presiding officers of both the Houses had rejected the Opposition members’ impeachment motions to remove the CEC.
“The proposal we have brought today is aimed at safeguarding the dignity of a constitutional institution. We have no personal animosity towards the CEC. Our intention is for the Election Commission to function impartially, in alignment with the spirit of the Constitution, and to ensure that the common man’s trust in it remains intact. We must prevent a situation where the voting rights of vulnerable sections, women, and the youth could be arbitrarily deleted by someone sitting in Delhi, using a computer,” said Kharge.
Recalling former PM Rajiv Gandhi’s decision to lower the voting age to 18 years, Kharge said the move had given young people the right to decide the country’s future. He alleged that the Modi government was now threatening that right through its actions.
“The Modi government has done everything to remain in power – Sansad chori, party chori, electoral bonds and now vote chori,” alleged the Congress chief.
Kharge claimed that CEC Kumar was able to carry out such actions because of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, which, he said, provided perpetual immunity to the ECs from any punitive action.
He said the 2023 legislation was pushed through by the Modi government after 145 Opposition MPs were suspended from Parliament, which prevented them from participating in the discussion over it. “This is shameful. Those who were working in national interest were kept out and the law was passed. This law gives the CEC impunity which even the President and Prime Minister do not have,” he added.
Kharge also said the Opposition was not seeking voting rights for “ghuspaithiya (infiltrators)” as the BJP alleges, but to ensure that the voting rights of all Indian citizens are protected. “It is the BJP which is protecting ‘ghuspaithiya’, and the pot is telling the kettle black,” he said.
The stage at the event at Kharge’s 10, Rajaji Marg residence in Delhi was designed to look like the Lok Sabha, with a wood-panelled backdrop and seats arranged in a semi-circular formation similar to the seating pattern in the House. Microphones were installed in the first three rows.
Initiating the proceedings, Meira Kumar said the meeting was convened to hold a “public impeachment” of the CEC as eligible voters were being “wrongfully” removed from the electoral rolls.
“When this issue is raised by the INDIA bloc, there is no accountability. So we have decided that the Opposition alliance will hold a meeting and bring a proposal to remove Gyanesh Kumar,” she said.
The “public impeachment” of Kumar is part of the INDIA bloc’s campaign against Gyanesh Kumar and the Modi government over alleged “vote theft” and the SIR row. A rally by the Opposition grouping is scheduled for Sunday at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan under a slogan of “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao”.
