The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday announced its support for a proposed impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of ignoring complaints related to alleged electoral irregularities. The announcement came as opposition parties intensified efforts to move a formal notice in Parliament seeking his removal.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh said the party had decided to back the motion after what he described as repeated inaction by the Election Commission of India on complaints raised by the party. According to Singh, the complaints involved allegations that fake voters were being registered at addresses linked to MPs of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Delhi.
Singh also alleged that genuine voters were being removed from electoral rolls under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. He argued that the Chief Election Commissioner had failed to adequately address these concerns, prompting the party to support the motion seeking his removal.
Meanwhile, opposition MPs have gathered signatures for a notice to move a motion in Parliament against Kumar on grounds including “partisan and discriminatory conduct in office.” Sources indicated that the notice lists seven charges, which also include allegations of deliberate obstruction of investigations into electoral fraud and actions leading to mass disenfranchisement of voters.
According to sources quoted by Press Trust of India, around 120 MPs have signed the notice intended for submission in the Lok Sabha, while about 60 MPs have signed the notice meant for the Rajya Sabha. Parliamentary rules require the signatures of at least 100 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha for such a motion to be considered.
Members of parties belonging to the opposition INDIA bloc have backed the initiative. Senior opposition leaders said the process of collecting signatures has been completed and that the notices could be submitted in Parliament either on Thursday or Friday.
If the notice is formally introduced, it would mark the first instance in India’s parliamentary history where a motion has been moved seeking the removal of a Chief Election Commissioner.
Opposition parties have repeatedly accused Kumar of favouring the ruling BJP during the ongoing voter list revision process. The government and the Election Commission have not accepted these allegations.
Meanwhile, Kumar recently faced protests during his visit to Dakshineswar Kali Temple in West Bengal. Demonstrators showed black flags and raised slogans as he arrived at the temple to offer prayers and again when he was leaving the premises.
