Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan on Monday rejected an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The CEC has been under intense opposition scrutiny over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the conduct of recent Assembly elections. The motion, the first of its kind seeking the removal of a sitting CEC, was backed by 130 Lok Sabha MPs and 63 Rajya Sabha members.
The 10-page notice outlined seven charges, including allegations of partisan conduct, “proved misbehaviour” and large-scale voter disenfranchisement.
What were the allegations against Kumar?
Opposition parties have accused Kumar of acting in favour of the BJP, particularly through the implementation of the SIR exercise. They allege the revision process has been arbitrary and potentially aimed at influencing electoral outcomes in states such as Bihar and poll-bound West Bengal.
The notice, spearheaded by the Trinamool Congress, comes amid escalating political tensions over the integrity of the electoral process. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been at the forefront of protests against the SIR in her state, while Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has amplified the issue nationally through his “vote chori” campaign.
Despite the mounting criticism, the rejection of the motion brings temporary relief to the CEC, even as the opposition signals that it will continue to raise concerns over the functioning and neutrality of the Election Commission. |
