INDIA Bloc Likely To Bring Impeachment Motion Against CEC Gyanesh Kumar: Report

The top leaders of the INDIA bloc met on Wednesday to plan their strategy over the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the country. The leaders also agreed to press for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

The meeting was held at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi. Several key opposition leaders, such as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress chief and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, etc attended the meeting.

A draft notice is being drawn up to launch impeachment proceedings against the Chief Election Commissioner in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The India bloc coalition leadership is now examining it for final approval according to Whispers In The Corridors.

A Vote Adhikar Yatra was announced for 6th October during the meeting. In this Yatra, opposition MPs will march to the headquarters of the Election Commission in protest of alleged vote theft. Mallikarjun Kharge also announced that the Opposition parties will also organise a “Save Democracy” rally in all districts of the country between October 2 and October 8. Left parties and civil societies have also announced Jail Bharo Andolan" on October 2 in response to the allegations against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

In the meeting, Mallikarjun Kharge said that leaders from the opposition will seek an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu so that they can underline the attack on the Constitution. Attacking the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar Kharge said, “The Chief Election Commissioner stands totally exposed; he should be removed from his position”.

The SIR Row

The Election Commission of India (ECI) launched the SIR process to remove duplicate, deceased, and non-citizen voters through house-to-house checks. However, there have been continuous allegations of discrepancies in this process as well as in the functioning of the Election Commission. The opposition parties are alleging that SIR under Mr. Kumar is benefiting BJP.

The opposition parties have also objected to the changes done in the form 6, through which any voter is added to the electoral rolls. After the row, the Election Commission recently reverted to allowing online submission of Form 6, used for fresh voter registration, without requiring the attached declaration introduced for the SIR.

In an investigation done by the Indian Express, it came to light that two of the Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, had formally raised objections to decisions and orders concerning electoral rolls that they said were taken without their knowledge or approval at least 14 times over the past 10 months, and they were ignored. The investigation also found that the EROs themselves were unable to add genuine voters from Goa and wrote several times to New Delhi.