The Opposition INDIA bloc has postponed its planned symbolic public impeachment proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar by a day after heavy rainfall disrupted preparations in New Delhi. The programme, initially scheduled for Friday, October 30, will now be held on Saturday, October 31, ahead of the alliance’s proposed rally at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday.
The postponement comes amid an escalating political confrontation between Opposition parties and the Election Commission of India (ECI) over allegations of voter deletions, irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The Opposition has accused the poll body of undermining electoral fairness and has demanded accountability from the CEC.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi announced the change after a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence at 10 Rajaji Marg. He said continuous rainfall had affected arrangements and made it difficult for senior leaders and other participants to attend the programme comfortably.
The symbolic proceedings have been rescheduled for 2.30 pm on Saturday at Kharge’s residence. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is expected to preside over the event, while Kharge is likely to move the symbolic motion against the CEC. Rahul Gandhi is expected to deliver the concluding address.
The Opposition has presented the event as a public demonstration of its dissatisfaction with the Election Commission’s functioning. Leaders from different INDIA bloc parties are expected to participate, along with representatives of civil society organisations and people who claim to have been affected by changes to electoral rolls.
However, the proposed public impeachment is symbolic and has no legal or constitutional authority to remove the CEC. The formal process for removing an Election Commissioner must follow the constitutional procedure applicable to a Supreme Court judge. The Opposition’s programme is intended to draw public attention to its allegations and strengthen its political campaign.
At the centre of the dispute is the SIR exercise, through which the Election Commission is reviewing electoral rolls to identify duplicate, outdated and ineligible entries. The poll body has maintained that the exercise is necessary to ensure accurate voter lists and prevent electoral irregularities.
Opposition parties, however, have alleged that the revision process could lead to eligible voters being excluded. They have raised concerns about transparency, verification procedures and the possibility of genuine voters losing their right to participate in elections.
The INDIA bloc has repeatedly used the term ‘vote chori’ to describe what it claims are irregularities in the electoral process. Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders have argued that the Election Commission must explain how voter names are being added, removed and verified during the revision exercise.
The controversy has also intensified following reports of disagreements within the Election Commission over decisions connected with SIR and electoral roll management. Reports have suggested that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised objections on several occasions during discussions over the past 10 months. The Opposition has cited these reports to question the claim that decisions were unanimous.
The dispute has already reached Parliament. Opposition MPs submitted notices seeking the removal of Gyanesh Kumar on March 12. The notices reportedly carried the signatures of 130 Lok Sabha members and 63 Rajya Sabha members. However, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan rejected the notices on April 6.
The Opposition has also approached President Droupadi Murmu. An INDIA bloc delegation met the President on October 9 and submitted a memorandum outlining its concerns over the Election Commission’s functioning and the SIR exercise. The delegation sought Kumar’s resignation, suspension of the revision exercise and restoration of names allegedly removed from electoral rolls.
The bloc is now considering requesting another meeting with the President to present additional evidence supporting its allegations of vote theft. Opposition leaders want to place their concerns about voter-list changes before the President and seek further intervention. However, a fresh meeting has not yet been confirmed.
Alongside Saturday’s symbolic proceedings, the INDIA bloc is preparing for its November 1 ‘Chalo Dilli’ march and public rally at Ramlila Maidan. Rahul Gandhi has said the march will begin at noon from the Minto Road-Connaught Place junction before proceeding towards the rally venue.
The Congress and its alliance partners are attempting to mobilise political workers, students, young people, labour groups, civil society organisations and ordinary citizens. The campaign is being projected as a movement to protect voting rights and strengthen democratic institutions.
Rahul Gandhi has also alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is attempting to prevent supporters from travelling to Delhi for the rally. He referred to participants expected from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Telangana and Punjab. These allegations have not been independently established.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien has also highlighted the participation of several political parties and civil society groups in the campaign, presenting the protest as a collective Opposition effort rather than an initiative of a single party.
The weekend events could become an important test of the INDIA bloc’s ability to maintain unity around electoral reforms. Saturday’s symbolic proceedings will focus on Gyanesh Kumar and the Opposition’s allegations against the poll panel, while Sunday’s rally is expected to broaden the campaign to include voter rights, electoral transparency and institutional accountability.
The Election Commission’s position remains that electoral roll revisions are necessary to maintain accurate records and protect the integrity of elections. The Opposition, meanwhile, insists that the process must be transparent and that no eligible voter should lose the right to vote.
With the postponed proceedings and the Ramlila Maidan rally approaching, the confrontation between the INDIA bloc and the Election Commission is set to remain a significant political issue.
