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Delhi:The Opposition on Friday moved a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The notice has been signed by 73 Members of Parliament from different political parties.
According to sources, the new proposal includes “fresh grounds” and specific instances cited against the Chief Election Commissioner. The coordination of the notice and collection of signatures were led by the Trinamool Congress and the Indian National Congress.
A source familiar with the development said that the Opposition has detailed certain actions and decisions which, in their view, justify the demand for removal. The fresh notice is seen as an attempt to strengthen the case after the earlier proposal was turned down.
This move comes weeks after a previous impeachment notice against Gyanesh Kumar was rejected by Om Birla and C. P. Radhakrishnan. Both had stated that the allegations did not provide sufficient proof to establish “misbehaviour,” which is a key requirement for initiating removal proceedings.
The Rajya Sabha Chairman had also noted that allowing such motions based on political disagreements or administrative issues could affect the independence of constitutional institutions. He emphasized that even if the allegations were assumed to be true, they did not meet the criteria for removal.
Earlier, on March 12, the Opposition had submitted similar motions in both Houses of Parliament. The proposal in the Lok Sabha had 130 signatures, while the Rajya Sabha motion had 63 signatures. As per parliamentary rules, at least 100 MPs are required in the Lok Sabha and 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha for such motions to be considered.
With the submission of the fresh notice, the issue is expected to gain political attention once again, as debates over the role and accountability of the Election Commission continue.
