TMC accuses BJP of ‘mockery’ over delay CEC Gyanesh Kumar's impeachment notice

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress on Friday questioned the delay in taking a call by the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman on the Opposition-sponsored impeachment notice against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the ruling BJP was making a “mockery” of Parliamentary democracy.

The Opposition had on March 12 submitted separate notices in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha seeking Kumar’s removal charging him with “partisan and discriminatory” conduct, “mass disenfranchisement” through SIR and taking actions that “undermine public confidence”, marking a first in India’s Parliamentary history.

Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan have to examine the notices and take a decision on whether to accept it or not. If the notices are accepted, both the Speaker and the Chairman will constitute a three-member panel to investigate the charges and submit a report, which will be considered by the Parliament.

“The ruling BJP is making a mockery of Parliamentary democracy. We need to know whether our notices are accepted or rejected. Is there a tacit understanding between the BJP government and the EC? It is not tacit but a blatant understanding,” Trinamool Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O’Brien said.

According to the notices, the Opposition has questioned the continuation, alleging that his appointment was “compromised”, as the hasty appointment effected at midnight despite pendency of Supreme Court hearing demonstrated a “deliberate intent” by the Executive to install a person of its choice before the court could intervene.

It also said Kumar’s career trajectory revealed a “deep institutional embeddedness within the Executive” while claiming that his “career history, combined with the manner of his appointment raises serious questions about his independence from the Executive, especially a long-standing and well-known deep linkage” with the MHA and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Another allegation was that Kumar took an “adversarial and threatening” posture against the Opposition, while referring to the “unprecedented ultimatum” to Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to submit a signed affidavit on his claims of ‘vote chori’ or apologise to the nation. Kumar was also accused of not asking BJP MP Anurag Thakur an affidavit for making similar allegations.