The Opposition INDIA bloc is considering an impeachment motion against chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, it was revealed on Monday, a day after the poll panel dared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to either submit an affidavit on his accusations of irregularities in electoral rolls within seven days or apologise to the nation.
The matter came up for discussion during Monday morning’s meeting of the alliance partners meeting before the day’s Parliament session, sources said.
At the time of writing this report, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha had been adjourned till 2pm because of the Opposition’s protest over the Election Commission’s (EC’s) special intensive revision (SIR) of voter lists in Bihar.
The grounds for removal of a chief election commissioner, under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, are same as those for a Supreme Court judge.
A two-third majority has to be mustered for the motion to sail through in both the Houses in the Parliament. For the motion to be accepted, at least 50 members have to sign it.
While the INDIA bloc can get the signatures, the motion is unlikely to pass.
“More than whether the motion actually gets passed or not, we have to register our protest. The CEC instead of answering questions is pointing fingers at the Opposition,” said a Lok Sabha MP.
Meanwhile, Rahul on Monday said the special intensive revision of electoral rolls is a "new weapon" of "vote chori" (vote theft) and vowed to protect the principle of “one person, one vote”.
He made the remarks in a post on his WhatsApp channel while talking about his meeting with a group of people who had cast their vote in the previous Lok Sabha election but their name had been deleted in the SIR exercise in Bihar.
Rahul met the group at the launch of his Vote Adhikar Yatra in Sasaram in Bihar on Sunday.
"SIR is a new weapon of vote theft. Coincidentally, these people standing with me in this picture are 'living' proof of this theft," he wrote in a post in Hindi.
"All of them had cast their vote in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections - but by the time Bihar Assembly elections came, their identity, their existence was erased from the democracy of India," he said.
"Do you know who they are? Raj Mohan Singh (70): Farmer and retired soldier; Umravati Devi (35): Dalit and labourer; Dhanjay Kumar Bind (30): Backward class and labourer; Sita Devi (45): Woman and former MNREGA labourer; Raju Devi (55): Backward class and labourer; Mohmuddin Ansari (52): Minority and labourer," he said.
The "collusion" of BJP and Election Commission is punishing them for being 'Bahujan' and poor - even our soldiers were not spared, Gandhi said.
Neither will they have a vote, nor identity or rights, he added.
"Due to social discrimination and economic conditions, they are unable to fight against the conspiracy of the system.We stand here with them to protect the most basic right of 'one person, one vote'," he said.
Rahul, the RJD's Tejashwi Yadav along with the Vikassheel Insan Party's Mukesh Sahani prayed at the Devkund Surya Mandir in Aurangabad, Bihar, as their Voter Adhikar Yatra entered its second day.
Travelling from Kutumba, the Yatra is expected to reach Gaya on Monday evening. After 16 days, the yatra will conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1.
The yatra is being undertaken in a hybrid mode, on foot and by vehicle, as was Gandhi's Manipur to Mumbai Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
It will pass through Aurangabad, Gaya, Nawada, Nalanda, Sheikhpura, Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Purnea, Araria, Supaul, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, East Champaran, West Champaran, Gopalganj, Siwan, Chhapra and Ara.
On Sunday, Kumar and other members of the Election Commission held a news conference and reiterated the two choices before Rahul.
“You have to give an affidavit or apologise to the nation. There is no third option. If the affidavit is not given within seven days, then it means the allegations are baseless,” Kumar had said.
On August 7, Rahul had presented data collated from an Assembly segment under a Lok Sabha seat in Bengaluru to explain how voters list was being manipulated which he alleged was being done to help the BJP.
