Opposition MPs move impeachment motion against CEC Gyanesh Kumar in Parliament

Opposition parties belonging to the INDIA bloc have submitted notices in both Houses of Parliament seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. A total of 193 lawmakers—comprising 130 Lok Sabha MPs and 63 Rajya Sabha MPs—have signed the notice, comfortably crossing the required threshold. Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra confirmed the development, stating that the requisite numbers have been secured to initiate the process against the poll panel chief.

The opposition's decision to seek impeachment stems from a series of serious allegations regarding the CEC’s conduct. The notice lists seven specific charges, including "partisan and discriminatory conduct in office" and "deliberate obstruction of investigation into electoral fraud." The parties have accused Kumar of aiding the ruling BJP, particularly citing the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which they claim is a calculated move to disenfranchise voters and favor the saffron party in upcoming electoral contests.

This marks the first time a formal notice has been moved for the removal of a Chief Election Commissioner in India. The move has garnered broad support across the opposition spectrum, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which backed the motion despite its fluctuating formal ties with the alliance. The opposition leaders assert that the integrity of the democratic process is at stake, accusing the commission of "mass disenfranchisement" and failing to act as an independent arbiter.