INDI Bloc Holds Symbolic 'Public Impeachment' Of CEC Gyanesh Kumar At Kharge's Residence

The Congress-led INDI bloc held symbolic public impeachment proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at Mallikarjun Kharge's residence in Delhi. Opposition leaders accused the Election Commission of electoral irregularities and questioned its handling of the SIR exercise.

New Delhi: The Congress-led INDI bloc on Saturday held a symbolic 'public impeachment' of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi, accusing him of irregularities in the conduct of elections and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

The mock parliamentary proceedings were organised at 10, Rajaji Marg, with leaders from nearly 21 Opposition parties expected to participate. The programme was initially scheduled for Friday but was postponed by a day following heavy rainfall in the national capital.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presided over the proceedings, while Kharge was scheduled to move the motion against the CEC. Leaders representing different Opposition parties were expected to speak on the motion, with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi slated to deliver the concluding remarks.

Several Opposition leaders, including Congress MPs Renuka Chowdhury, Selja Kumari, Imran Pratapgarhi and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, arrived at Kharge's residence ahead of the programme. Samajwadi Party MPs Dharmendra Yadav and Awadhesh Prasad, along with Trinamool Congress MPs Sougata Roy and Sagarika Ghose, were also among those present.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor defended the Opposition's decision to organise the exercise outside Parliament, saying notices seeking impeachment proceedings against Kumar had not been admitted by the presiding officers of either House.

Tharoor said the Opposition had no choice but to conduct the proceedings at an alternative venue to reinforce its allegations concerning the CEC's impartiality.

He said the exercise was intended to underline the Opposition's concerns about the Election Commission's functioning and added that the proceedings could be taken to Parliament if the impeachment notices were admitted by the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairperson.

The Opposition has been demanding Kumar's resignation over alleged electoral irregularities and its objections to the SIR exercise. The controversy intensified following reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on multiple occasions to decisions allegedly taken without their knowledge, including matters related to the SIR.

The Congress and other INDI bloc parties have repeatedly raised allegations of 'vote chori' and questioned the Election Commission's handling of electoral rolls.

Meanwhile, the BJP criticised the Opposition's decision to hold the mock proceedings. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress was staging a mock Parliament to create the impression that the Leader of Opposition was conducting proceedings in a Parliament of his own choice.

The symbolic impeachment programme is also part of the Opposition's broader campaign against the CEC. The INDI bloc has called for a 'Delhi Chalo' rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1, where opposition leaders are expected to reiterate their allegations of electoral irregularities and seek Kumar's resignation.

The developments come after Union Home Minister Amit Shah challenged Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to discuss the allegations of vote theft in Parliament, saying the BJP was ready to convene a special session to debate the issue.