New Delhi: After they moved a no-confidence motion against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the Opposition is turning focus on Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy announced on Thursday that his party will file an impeachment motion against the CEC, with support from more than 100 MPs.
“We are preparing an impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner. More than 100 MPs are supporting us… The Opposition will be seen united on this,” Roy was quoted as saying by ANI.
The TMC leader cited serious irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal as the core reason, alleging that mishandling of the process led to loss of lives and flawed voter lists.
“We shall bring an impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner as per Article 324 of the Constitution. We have many, many complaints about him. The way the SIR has been handled, the way people have lost their lives because of the SIR, and the way the (voter) list has been published, it must be exposed. That is why, after the no-confidence motion (against the Speaker), we are hoping that our impeachment or removal resolution will go through,” Roy elaborated.
According to TMC sources, over 100 Lok Sabha and 50 Rajya Sabha MPs have signed the motion, with submission expected after formalities, most likely on Friday. “We’re getting everyone to sign up for support (against TMC’s impeachment motion against CEC Gyanesh Kumar). In a day or two, it will be confirmed when we submit this.”
Roy expressed regret over the rejection of a no-confidence motion against the Lok Sabha Speaker on Wednesday. “I think it was a chance to raise our complaint against the Speaker and the functioning of Lok Sabha as a whole,” Roy said.
Support for TMC poured in from allies, with Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav declaring that his party was with TMC on the motion against the CEC.
SP MP Rajiv Rai, who earlier protested against the Election Commission over 15,000 missing names from voter list, said: “We stand with the TMC on the impeachment motion. I was the one who raised my voice against the Election Commission over the issue of fifteen thousand names missing from the voters’ list and remained unheard.”
In a sharp response, Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar advised TMC to contest polls in Pakistan or Bangladesh if it lacks faith in constitutional institutions.
