Opposition Pushes for Removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar Amid Controversy

Fresh Motion Submitted in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: On Friday, opposition parties filed a new notice in the Rajya Sabha aimed at initiating a motion to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, according to sources. The allegations against the CEC highlight a perceived "partisan imbalance in the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct."

The opposition has claimed that the Election Commission failed to address complaints regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "address to the nation" on April 18, which occurred just before the assembly elections in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

The notice pointed out that as of the date of submission, Gyanesh Kumar had not issued any show-cause notices, advisories, or public responses concerning the complaints raised.

Sources indicate that Congress leader Jairam Ramesh and TMC leader Sagarika Ghose were responsible for submitting the notice to the Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha.

This notice garnered the signatures of 73 Rajya Sabha MPs, surpassing the required minimum of 50.

Members from various opposition parties, including Congress, TMC, SP, DMK, Left parties, Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), RJD, IUML, and other like-minded groups, have endorsed the notice.

This action follows the rejection of similar notices by opposition MPs in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, marking the first instance of a motion for the removal of a CEC being presented in Parliament.

In previous notices, the opposition accused CEC Kumar of failing to uphold independence and constitutional integrity, alleging he acted under the influence of the executive.

However, both Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan dismissed these notices, asserting that even if the allegations were valid, they did not meet the constitutional criteria for "misbehaviour" necessary for removal.