Opposition Files New Motion In Rajya Sabha Seeking Removal Of CEC Gyanesh Kumar

A coalition of opposition parties filed a new motion in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, calling for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of procedural bias. According to PTI, the formal charges against the CEC include "continued partisan asymmetry in the enforcement of Model Code of Conduct".

The opposition has accused the poll panel of inaction regarding complaints against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "address to the nation" on 18 April, delivered ahead of assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. Addressing concerns raised by various parties, the notice stated: "As on the date of this notice, Gyanesh Kumar has issued no show-cause notice, no advisory, and no public response to any of the said complaints." Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and TMC leader Sagarika Ghose submitted the notice to the Rajya Sabha Secretary General.

The motion was signed by 73 Rajya Sabha MPs, exceeding the minimum requirement of 50 signatures. Reported PTI, members from the Congress, TMC, SP, DMK, Left parties, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), RJD, IUML, and other like-minded parties signed the document. This action follows similar notices submitted by opposition MPs in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha that were rejected by the respective presiding officers. PTI reported that this was the first occasion a notice seeking the removal of a CEC had been submitted in Parliament.

In previous notices, the opposition accused CEC Kumar of a "failure to maintain independence and constitutional fidelity" and of acting under the "thumb of the executive". However, in similar responses, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan rejected the motions, holding that even if the allegations were assumed to be true, they did not meet the high constitutional threshold of "misbehaviour" required for his removal.

(With inputs from PTI)