Opposition likely to move impeachment motion against CEC

New Delhi: Leaders of the INDIA Bloc met on Monday to discuss the possibility of moving an impeachment notice against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, intensifying their protest against the ongoing revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. The opposition has alleged irregularities in the process, calling it an attempt at “vote theft", reported PTI.

The meeting, held in the chamber of Rajya Sabha Opposition Leader Mallikarjun Kharge, focused on the CEC’s press conference on Sunday, which opposition leaders said failed to address their concerns. Some MPs suggested that the matter must be escalated through parliamentary means, including an impeachment motion.

Congress leader Naseer Hussain stated that the bloc would pursue “every democratic means” to ensure accountability. He accused the Election Commission (EC) of acting like a “spokesperson of the BJP” and of ignoring anomalies such as voters being wrongly declared dead. Hussain emphasised the need for an entirely impartial EC.

CEC Kumar, addressing the press on Sunday, defended the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise as an effort to correct voter lists and dismissed allegations of double voting and “vote theft” as baseless. He said misinformation was being spread and insisted that all stakeholders were working transparently to make the process a success.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the EC of collusion with the BJP. Speaking at the launch of his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar’s Sasaram, Gandhi charged that the SIR was a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise voters. He criticised the EC for demanding an affidavit from him following his remarks on “vote chori” while not applying the same standard to BJP leaders making similar claims.

The INDIA Bloc has not finalised its course of action but is expected to meet again to decide whether to push for impeachment proceedings against the CEC formally.