Mallikarjun Kharge addresses the INDIA bloc’s symbolic public impeachment programme against CEC Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi. (Img: X)
New Delhi: The Congress-led INDIA bloc on Saturday intensified its campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar by organising a symbolic public impeachment programme through a Mock Parliament session at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in New Delhi. The proceedings, presided over by former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, brought together Opposition MPs, lawyers, jurists, civil society representatives and individuals who have raised concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Addressing the gathering, Kharge alleged that citizens’ right to vote was facing a serious threat. He claimed that the names of young people, economically weaker sections and women were being removed from electoral rolls, alleging that such deletions were being carried out through computer-based processes from Delhi.
The symbolic proceedings were organised after authorities denied permission for the Opposition to hold a public event at Ramlila Maidan. Following the denial, INDIA bloc leaders decided to shift the programme to Kharge’s residence. The Opposition has also announced a public rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1 as part of its Vote Chori campaign, focusing on allegations of electoral irregularities and concerns over voter-list revision.
The INDIA bloc has accused the Election Commission and the Centre of undermining electoral integrity, particularly in connection with the SIR exercise. The programme forms part of its continuing demand for accountability from the Chief Election Commissioner.
Kharge also questioned the legislation passed in December 2023 governing the appointment, service conditions and tenure of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners.
He alleged that the law was passed after the suspension of 145 Opposition MPs from Parliament, raising concerns over the circumstances in which the legislation was cleared. Kharge further claimed that the law provides election commissioners with a level of legal protection that, according to him, is not available even to the President of India or the Chief Justice of India.
The Congress president argued that the legal framework governing the appointment and protection of election commissioners had significant implications for the independence of the Election Commission and public confidence in the electoral system.
In a sharp political attack, Kharge accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of functioning at the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He alleged that the Opposition’s concerns about the poll body’s impartiality had intensified over its handling of electoral matters.
Kharge said Opposition parties had moved notices seeking the removal of the CEC in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. However, he claimed that the notices were not admitted by the presiding officers of the two Houses.
Clarifying the Opposition’s position, Kharge maintained that the INDIA bloc had no personal enmity with Gyanesh Kumar. He said the initiative was not intended as an individual campaign against the CEC but was aimed at protecting constitutional institutions, democratic principles and the credibility of elections.
The alleged deletion of names from electoral rolls remained a central issue during the mock parliamentary proceedings. Kharge claimed that young voters, poor citizens and women were among those whose voting rights were being affected by the revision process.
The INDIA bloc used the platform to question the Election Commission’s role in maintaining accurate electoral rolls and ensuring that eligible citizens were not excluded from the democratic process.
The proceedings also brought together individuals who said they had been affected by the SIR exercise. Opposition leaders, lawyers and jurists participated in the programme, raising questions about electoral roll management, voter registration and the accountability of the poll body.
The allegations made by Kharge form part of the Opposition’s political position on the electoral process. The Election Commission and the other parties concerned have not provided a response to these specific claims in the material available for this report.
Kharge further alleged that various methods had been used since 2014 to secure and retain political power. He accused the ruling establishment of engineering defections, encouraging splits in political parties and bringing down elected governments.
The Congress president also questioned the use of electoral bonds and the role of central investigative agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He alleged that these developments were part of a wider pattern of political pressure and manipulation.
Taking his criticism further, Kharge claimed that the electoral process itself was now being influenced through alleged voter-list deletions and what the Opposition describes as Vote Chori. He asserted that numerous examples of electoral manipulation existed and alleged that such practices had become easier during Gyanesh Kumar’s tenure as Chief Election Commissioner.
These claims were presented by Kharge as part of the INDIA bloc’s broader argument that electoral institutions must function independently and remain accountable to the public.
The symbolic public impeachment at Kharge’s residence is part of a wider Opposition campaign against the CEC and the SIR exercise. The INDIA bloc has announced a public rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1 under its Vote Chori campaign.
The Opposition plans to use the rally to press for accountability from the Chief Election Commissioner and raise concerns over alleged irregularities in electoral roll revision. Its campaign also targets the role of the Election Commission and the Centre in safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.
The rally follows the denial of permission for the public impeachment programme to be held at Ramlila Maidan, prompting the Opposition to organise the symbolic proceedings at Kharge’s residence instead.
With the mock parliamentary session followed by the planned public mobilisation, the dispute over the SIR exercise has widened into a broader political debate over voter rights, the independence of constitutional institutions and the appointment framework for election commissioners.
The public impeachment programme is a symbolic political initiative and does not constitute a formal constitutional impeachment proceeding. The allegations against the CEC and the government remain claims made by the Opposition and should be viewed in that context.
