Opposition parties from the INDIA bloc are planning to submit a notice in Parliament seeking the impeachment of Gyanesh Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner of the Election Commission of India. The move comes amid growing political tensions over the functioning of the poll body.
According to opposition leaders, discussions are underway among several parties to prepare the impeachment notice and gather the required support from Members of Parliament. Parties including the Indian National Congress and the Trinamool Congress are said to be involved in the effort.
The opposition has raised concerns about the Election Commission’s recent actions, particularly the revision of electoral rolls in some states. Leaders claim that the process could lead to the removal of eligible voters’ names from the lists, which they argue may affect the fairness of elections.
The issue has become especially sensitive in West Bengal, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticised the voter list revision process and alleged that it could impact genuine voters. Opposition parties say the matter needs to be addressed to ensure transparency in the electoral system.
Under Indian law, removing a Chief Election Commissioner is a complex process similar to the impeachment of a judge. To move the proposal, at least 100 MPs in the Lok Sabha or 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha must sign the notice.
If the motion is accepted, it would then require a special majority in Parliament to pass. Because of these strict conditions, such attempts are rare in Indian politics.
The development comes at a time when Parliament has already been witnessing frequent clashes between the ruling government and opposition parties. Recently, opposition members had also submitted a resolution seeking the removal of Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
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