INDIA Bloc Defers ‘Public Impeachment’ Of CEC, Rahul Gandhi To Lead Nov 1 Rally

The INDIA bloc has postponed its planned “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi due to bad weather and waterlogging. A fresh date for the event will be announced soon, party sources told the publication.

The proceedings were scheduled to begin at 3:30 pm on Friday at the residence of Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. However, waterlogging at Kharge’s residence following rainfall in the national capital led to the postponement, sources said.

The move comes amid the Opposition’s continued confrontation with the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and allegations of irregularities in the electoral process.

Opposition Leaders Meet Ahead Of Event

Several Opposition leaders attended a preparatory meeting on Thursday to discuss the planned protest.

Those present included Congress general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal, senior Congress leader Meira Kumar, TMC’s Derek O’Brien, Samajwadi Party’s Harendra Malik, JMM’s Mahua Maji and CPI(M)’s John Brittas. Several of these leaders were also expected to participate in Friday’s proceedings.

Announcing the INDIA bloc’s decision to hold the “public impeachment”, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had accused Gyanesh Kumar of undermining the Constitution and electoral democracy.

“The CEC has demonstrably violated the letter and spirit of the Constitution. He has systematically subverted the very foundations of our electoral democracy. He has, to put it bluntly, lied to the Supreme Court. He has been the willing executioner on behalf of the Diabolical Duo whose turn will come next,” Ramesh wrote.

The proposed event is a symbolic protest against the CEC amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the SIR exercise. Opposition parties have alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls and accused the Election Commission of failing to ensure free and fair elections.

The INDIA bloc has demanded Kumar’s resignation over the allegations.

Rahul Gandhi To Lead November 1 Rally

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi has called for a protest rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, with the Opposition demanding the CEC’s resignation. INDIA bloc MPs have also backed the rally and are expected to participate in the demonstration in Delhi.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a pressure group, has also announced its support for the November 1 protest.

In a statement earlier this week, the group said the principle of democracy was that people should choose their government and not the other way around.

“By undermining this very principle through SIR, Gyanesh Kumar has lost the trust required to oversee free and fair elections. His resignation is therefore necessary to restore the credibility and independence of the Election Commission,” the CJP said.