Politics
Meira Kumar Presides Over Symbolic Impeachment of CEC in Historic Chair
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar led the INDIA bloc’s symbolic “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Saturday at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, 10 Rajaji Marg, New Delhi. The chair used by Kumar was once occupied by India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, according to Congress media and publicity head Pawan Khera. Khera posted on X that the chair “witnessed some of the most consequential decisions in our nation’s history” and that Kumar, sitting in it, declared Gyanesh Kumar “unfit to continue as the Chief Election Commissioner of India.”
The proceedings were organized by the INDIA bloc, which accused the CEC of facilitating the deletion of voters’ names from electoral rolls and called for his trial for treason and imprisonment. Kumar opened the session, stating that the opposition had convened the meeting because of alleged wrongful deletions of eligible voters and that the bloc would propose removing Gyanesh Kumar.
The resolution was moved by Kharge, seconded by Samajwadi Party leader Harendra Malik, and supported by Rahul Gandhi, other opposition MPs, and civil society representatives. It was adopted unanimously by a show of hands. Kharge alleged that the right to vote was under threat and accused the Election Commission of acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Rahul Gandhi described the proceedings as a “political weapon” against those he said had colluded to destroy people’s votes, adding that he fully supports the motion to impeach Gyanesh Kumar and that he should be tried for treason.
The BJP criticized the event, calling it a mockery of Parliament and democracy. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the opposition was holding a “mock parliament” and took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi.
The symbolic proceedings preceded the INDIA bloc’s planned march and rally on November 1 at Ramlila Maidan, where opposition leaders aim to intensify pressure for the CEC’s removal and raise concerns over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.