New Delhi:
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar will chair the INDIA bloc’s proposed ‘public impeachment’ of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Friday, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge set to move the motion and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi delivering the concluding remarks.
The decision was taken at a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders held at Kharge’s residence in New Delhi on Thursday to finalise the arrangements for the symbolic proceedings against the CEC.
The event is scheduled to take place at 3.30 pm at Kharge’s residence on 10, Rajaji Marg. The opposition parties have described the exercise as a public demonstration against what they allege are irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the issue of ‘vote chori’.
Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal, along with Meira Kumar, participated in the meeting. Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien, Samajwadi Party’s Harendra Malik, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha’s Mahua Maji and CPI(M) leader John Brittas were among the other participants.
According to sources, Meira Kumar will preside over the proceedings, while Kharge will introduce the motion seeking the CEC’s impeachment. Rahul Gandhi will make the concluding address before the motion is adopted by the participating leaders.
The opposition has decided that one representative from each constituent party will speak during the proceedings. The discussions will focus on allegations relating to the SIR exercise, electoral roll revisions and the functioning of the Election Commission.
After the meeting, Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said the leaders had discussed the procedure and the points to be raised during the event.
Gaurav Gogoi, Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, said the proceedings would highlight concerns relating to SIR and alleged electoral irregularities. He said the opposition wanted to bring the difficulties faced by voters and concerns over democratic institutions into public discussion.
Speaking in Bengaluru, Kharge said the opposition would continue its protest against what he described as vote theft and irregularities by the CEC. He also announced a mock Parliament on Friday and a rally on November 1, with participation expected from people across the country.
The Congress has alleged that the CEC violated constitutional principles and failed to address concerns raised over the revision of electoral rolls. The party has also accused the Election Commission of acting in a manner that undermines public confidence in the electoral process.
The opposition parties have been demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar over the alleged irregularities. The Congress has also sought suspension of the SIR exercise.
However, the proposed public impeachment is a symbolic political exercise and does not constitute a formal constitutional impeachment proceeding. The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed only through the constitutionally prescribed parliamentary process.
The Election Commission has defended the SIR exercise before the Supreme Court, maintaining that it was authorised by law and that the decisions relating to the process were taken unanimously by its three members.