INDIA bloc mulls impeachment motion against CEC Gyanesh Kumar amid Rahul Gandhi's ‘Vote Chori’ row

The Opposition INDIA bloc is planning to move an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The move will escalate the Opposition's confrontation with the Election Commission amid Rahul Gandhi's ‘Vote Chori’ allegation.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Syed Naseer Hussain told news agency ANI that the party is ready to use all democratic tools, including an impeachment motion if needed, though no formal discussions have been held so far.

“If there is a need, we will use all the weapons of democracy under the rules. We have not had any discussions (about impeachment) as of now, but if needed, we can do anything,” Hussain told ANI.

While the Congress and other parties are in the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament, a 14-day notice period is required, as per the law, to initiate an impeachment process against a President or Vice President in India and the CEC.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament resumed on Monday after the Independence Day break. The INDIA bloc continued to protest against issues, including the Bihar Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

“The ECI cannot relinquish its Constitutional duty and evade genuine queries of political parties. The 'Right to Vote' is the most important right, given to us by the Constitution of India. INDIA will protest any attempt to stifle Democracy,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X.

The decision of “impeachment” comes a day after Kumar rebuked Rahul Gandhi over his ‘Vote Chori’ allegation and urged the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha to either sign an affidavit or apologize to the nation for his remarks, which he described as an ‘insult’ to the Constitution of India.

The Election Commission's remarks came on a day when Rae Bareli Member of Parliament (MP) Rahul Gandhi launched his 1,300 km-long 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' from poll-bound Bihar's Sasaram to step up the Opposition INDIA bloc's campaign against its ‘Vote Chori’ (vote theft) claims.

The CEC can only be removed in the same manner as a Supreme Court judge, requiring a motion of impeachment by Parliament, according to Article 324(5) of the Constitution.

On 7 August, Rahul Gandhi had alleged ‘vote chori (theft)’ of 1,00,250 votes in an assembly constituency of a Karnataka Lok Sabha constituency, with 11,965 duplicate voters in the segment, 40,009 voters with fake and invalid addresses, 10,452 bulk voters or single-address voters, 4,132 voters with invalid photos.

After Sunday's press conference by CEC, Congress leader Pawan Khera said the remarks sounded like those of a BJP functionary rather than an independent constitutional authority.

“It seemed like BJP was speaking today. Did he give any response about the one lakh voters we exposed in Mahadevapura?” Khera asked.

RJD leader Manoj Jha accused the Commission of ducking ‘burning questions’ while JMM MP Mahua Maji asked the poll body to clarify the authenticity of documents presented by Gandhi in his press conference.

The INDIA bloc had moved an impeachment against former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar in December. The motion was rejected. Dhankhar quit as Vice President on 21 July.

(With ANI inputs)