Ex-Speaker Meira Kumar to chair INDIA bloc's 'impeachment' of Gyanesh Kumar

Meira Kumar will chair the INDIA bloc's symbolic public impeachment of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The protest intensifies the Opposition's campaign over alleged vote theft and electoral roll irregularities.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar will chair the INDIA bloc's symbolic "public impeachment" of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on October 30, sources told news agency Press Trust of India.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will initiate the proceedings, while former party chief Rahul Gandhi will deliver the concluding remarks before the proposed motion is adopted.

The opposition alliance plans to hold the event at Kharge's residence as a protest over alleged "vote theft" and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. INDIA bloc leaders met at his residence in New Delhi to finalise the proceedings.

Congress general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh and KC Venugopal, senior party leader Meira Kumar, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien, Samajwadi Party leader Harendra Malik, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Mahua Maji and CPI(M) leader John Brittas were among those who attended the meeting.

Sources told PTI that Kharge will move the proposed motion against Gyanesh Kumar. Rahul Gandhi will make the concluding remarks before it is adopted.

Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Kharge said the opposition's protest would continue because of the alleged "vote theft and the mischief" carried out by the CEC.

"We are protesting against that and will continue to do so. All parties are supporting us. Even tomorrow, there is mock Parliament and on November 1, we are having this rally and people from across the country are coming. We will fight. In a democracy, if you don't fight, people will not be awakened," Kharge said.

After the meeting, Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said the leaders discussed the details of how to proceed with the event. "Most of the INDIA bloc leaders were present and we went through all the points on how to proceed with the public impeachment," he said.

Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, said, "We want every important issue related to SIR and vote theft to be discussed. The pain of the people and the attack on democracy should be brought to light through discussion, and people should be encouraged that we are all united in saving democracy. A message of unity will go out tomorrow."

Samajwadi Party leader Harendra Malik told PTI that only one person from each party would speak at the event. "It has been decided that either the party leader himself will speak tomorrow or nominate someone to speak on his behalf," he said.

On Wednesday, Congress communications chief Jairam Ramesh said the INDIA bloc would hold the event at Kharge's residence at 3.30 pm on October 30 after being denied permission to use other venues.

"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," Ramesh said in a post on X.

"He has been the willing executioner on behalf of the Diabolical Duo whose turn will come next," he added, in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

On Tuesday, the Congress claimed it had been denied permission to hold the event and accused the government of trying to silence ordinary people after "destroying" the electoral system.

The Congress and other opposition parties have demanded Gyanesh Kumar's resignation over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The October 30 event will serve as the INDIA bloc's symbolic protest on the issue, with Meira Kumar chairing the proceedings, Kharge moving the proposed motion and Rahul Gandhi delivering the concluding remarks.