New Delhi: Amid the ongoing row over vote theft, the Opposition INDIA bloc is reportedly planning to move an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. This comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the poll body of large-scale voter fraud.
Gandhi has alleged “vote chori” (vote theft) in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Haryana. He accused the Commission of manipulating voter data to favour the ruling BJP. The Congress MP has claimed that 1,00,250 “stolen” votes in Mahadevapura assembly segment of Bangalore Central enabled the BJP’s Lok Sabha victory. He accused the ECI of “colluding” with the BJP.
What’s the process of removal?
Under Article 324(5), the CEC can only be removed just as a Supreme Court judge, requiring a motion of impeachment by Parliament.
EC hits back at Rahul Gandhi
Kumar on Sunday dismissed Gandhi’s claims as “baseless.” He also stated that such claims were “an insult to the Constitution.” He demanded that Gandhi either submit a signed affidavit substantiating his charges or apologise to the nation.
“An affidavit will have to be given or an apology should be made to the country. Teesra koi vikalp nahi (There is no third option). If the affidavit is not received within seven days, it means that all these allegations are baseless,” Kumar said. “The Election Commission asks for an affidavit from me. But when Anurag Thakur (BJP MP) says the same thing that I am saying, it does not ask for an affidavit from him,” he said.
Opposition accuses poll panel of bias
Congress leader Pawan Khera said the CEC’s remarks sounded like those of a BJP functionary rather than an independent constitutional authority. The move comes after Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, alleged “vote chori” (vote theft) in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Haryana, accusing the Commission of manipulating voter data to favour the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On August 7, he claimed that 1,00,250 “stolen” votes in Mahadevapura assembly segment of Bangalore Central enabled the BJP’s Lok Sabha victory, accusing the ECI of “colluding” with the ruling party.
Under Article 324(5) of the Constitution, the CEC can only be removed in the same manner as a Supreme Court judge, requiring a motion of impeachment by Parliament.
RJD leader Manoj Jha accused the Commission of ducking “burning questions”. JMM MP Mahua Maji asked the poll body to clarify the authenticity of documents presented by Gandhi in his press conference.
What are the allegations?
At his August 7 briefing, Rahul Gandhi had presented what he claimed was Congress’ research on Mahadevapura voters. He had pointed to duplicate names, invalid addresses and instances of bulk registrations, including “80 voters at one address.” He also alleged that the Commission was “destroying evidence” by restricting CCTV and webcasting footage of polling booths to just 45 days.
The CEC, however, said sharing such footage would violate voter privacy. Kumar also rejected charges of inflated .voter lists in Maharashtra.
What is BJP saying?
“The political party that can abuse the judges after the Ram Mandir judgment, that cannot spare the Indian Army, which can call the Chief of the Indian Army a street goon. The way the Election Commission is being abused and the words being used, show only one thing that all constitutional institutions have their own limits, each has its own boundary and one constitutional institution always respects another constitutional institution. We too could have had differences. We too had differences in the past, but we never used such words which were indecent. Using indecent words and the type of attack he is making, it somehow shows that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party are frustrated, and they have only one goal. We should get power at any cost,” said BJP MP Sambit Patra, reacting to the development.
