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Around 180 Opposition MPs are reportedly backing a motion to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of misconduct and voter disenfranchisement amid the electoral roll revision controversy in West Bengal.
The development would mark an unprecedented step against a sitting Chief Election Commissioner.
New Delhi: Political tensions are likely to intensify in Parliament as Opposition parties prepare to move a motion seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. According to sources, nearly 180 Members of Parliament from the Opposition bloc have reportedly supported the initiative.
The proposed motion is expected to be introduced during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament and could be formally submitted within the next few days. If tabled, the development would mark an unprecedented step against a sitting Chief Election Commissioner.
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The initiative is said to be spearheaded by the Trinamool Congress, which has been engaged in a prolonged dispute with the Election Commission of India over the revision of voter rolls in West Bengal.
Opposition leaders allege that the electoral roll revision process may have resulted in large numbers of eligible voters being removed from the list. The party has also raised concerns about procedural lapses and alleged irregularities during the exercise.
In addition to the voter roll issue, the motion reportedly includes allegations of misconduct during a meeting between a TMC delegation and Election Commission officials earlier this week.
The dispute stems from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls conducted ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections. Opposition parties claim that the exercise led to the deletion of several lakh voter names, raising concerns about possible disenfranchisement.
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However, the Election Commission has maintained that the revisions were conducted in accordance with established procedures. The Commission earlier stated that over five lakh voter entries were removed after due verification following the publication of the draft roll.
Under Indian law, removing the Chief Election Commissioner follows the same procedure as the removal of a judge of the Supreme Court. The motion must first be introduced in either House of Parliament and must then be approved by a special majority.
This means the motion requires the support of a majority of the total membership of the House as well as a two-thirds majority of members present and voting.
If the Opposition proceeds with the motion, Parliament could witness a significant constitutional debate in the coming days.
