Opposition parties are preparing to move a fresh motion seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in both Houses of Parliament, according to reports citing sources familiar with the discussions.
Congress leaders have reportedly begun consulting other Opposition parties as part of a joint strategy. The draft of the proposed motion is being prepared, and the notice could be submitted as early as next week.
The proposed move comes amid an escalating political dispute over the functioning of the Election Commission of India and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The latest development follows a report by The Indian Express which said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over a period of 10 months.
According to the report, the objections involved several issues related to electoral rolls, including the addition and deletion of voters, changes to voter-registration procedures and the handling and centralisation of electoral data. The report said the two Election Commissioners had raised concerns over decisions or orders that they claimed were issued without their knowledge or approval.
The report has since triggered a fresh political confrontation, with Opposition parties questioning the functioning of the three-member poll panel and demanding action against Gyanesh Kumar.
The Election Commission, however, has rejected the suggestion that there is a breakdown in its functioning. ECI officials have said that differences during internal deliberations are part of the decision-making process and maintained that decisions, including those related to SIR, were taken with the approval of all three Election Commissioners.
The Opposition’s latest plan is not its first attempt to seek Kumar’s removal.
In April, 73 Opposition MPs submitted a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking his removal. The notice cited nine allegations of what the MPs described as “proven misbehaviour”.
Earlier notices seeking action against the CEC had also been submitted in both Houses. One of the earlier attempts was rejected by the respective presiding authorities, while the April Rajya Sabha notice remained part of the Opposition’s broader campaign for Kumar’s removal.
The new proposal comes at a time when the SIR exercise has become a major political issue. The revision process is aimed at checking and updating electoral rolls, but Opposition parties have raised concerns over voter deletions and the procedures being followed.
The latest motion, if formally submitted, is expected to bring the functioning of the Election Commission and the SIR process back into focus during the ongoing political debate.
For now, the proposed impeachment motion remains at the preparation stage, with Opposition parties working on the notice and coordinating their position before it is formally presented to Parliament.
