Opposition parties set in motion process to impeach Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar

In the notice, they are likely to charge him with 'proven misbehaviour', 'election fraud' and 'mass disenfranchisement through the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

New Delhi: The Opposition has initiated the process of collecting signatures for the motion seeking to impeach Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and is likely to charge him with "proven misbehaviour", "election fraud" and "mass disenfranchisement" through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Sources said the I.N.D.I.A. bloc parties hope to submit the notice by Friday after collecting the signatures in the next couple of days.

However, varying suggestions on which House to submit the notice have prompted leaders to also consider the option of filing it in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on the same day. Initial suggestion was to submit it in the Lok Sabha but some MPs felt that the better option would be the Rajya Sabha.

In the coming days, sources said, a call would be taken on where to submit it even as floor managers said they had enough MPs to get requisite signatures — 100 in the Lok Sabha and 50 in the Rajya Sabha — for the notice. Chief Whips of parties have been tasked to coordinate on getting signatures. 

The submission of the notice is likely to happen only after the resolution seeking removal of Om Birla as Lok Sabha Speaker is disposed of in the House on Wednesday evening. 

If it is submitted and accepted, it will be the first time a CEC will face impeachment proceedings. There were talks about initiating such a move in the 1990s against T N Seshan and against Naveen Chawla in 2006, but it was not taken forward after a while.

Sources said the text of the motion would have the mention of “proven misbehaviour” of the CEC by citing observations made by the Supreme Court during hearing of petitions against the SIR. It is also likely to include “election fraud” aided by alleged actions of the CEC.

Another highlight point is likely to be the mention of “mass disenfranchisement” through the SIR. The Trinamool Congress, the prime mover of the motion, has been accusing the EC of “mass disenfranchisement” of voters in poll-bound West Bengal.

In both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the Opposition raised the issue of the SIR, with the Lower House witnessing an adjournment and the Upper House seeing a walkout by the non-NDA parties.

In the Rajya Sabha, the Trinamool Congress floor leader Derek O’Brien first raised the issue saying all of them want electoral reforms but questioned the way the SIR is being conducted by the EC while demanding a discussion. Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge supported O’Brien and said it was a “very important” issue. 

However, as Chairman C P Radhakrishnan did not allow their demand, the Opposition walked out.

Leader of the House and Union Minister J P Nadda attacked the Trinamool Congress, accusing it of not having any respect for judiciary, the EC or democratic procedures and alleged that the "rule of law has gone for a ride" in the State.

He alleged that the Trinamool-led West Bengal government was to blame for the situation arising out of the SIR in the State. He was responding to a questioned raised by Trinamool MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, who alleged that "coercive measures" have been taken in West Bengal in the name of the SIR.