The INDIA bloc on Saturday unanimously adopted a resolution seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accusing him of participating in a "devious and malevolent criminal conspiracy orchestrated by the BJP to steal national and state elections" and demanding that he be tried for treason in a court of law.
The resolution, read out by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at the Opposition's symbolic "public impeachment" programme in New Delhi, listed six charges against Kumar, including alleged manipulation of electoral rolls, changes to voter registration rules without parliamentary oversight and acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
In an unprecedented event, opposition MPs, leaders and civil society members adopted the resolution through a show of hands at a meeting presided over by former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar at the lawns of Kharge's residence at 10, Rajaji Marg.
The resolution was moved by Kharge, seconded by Samajwadi Party MP Harendra Malik and supported by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and several other opposition leaders.
The meeting was attended by representatives of at least 18 parties, Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal and people who alleged that their names had been wrongfully deleted from electoral rolls.
The event was held on the eve of an INDIA bloc march and public rally in the national capital, as the Opposition seeks to intensify its campaign against alleged electoral irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Six charges against the CEC
In its first charge, the INDIA bloc alleged that Kumar had overseen and participated in a "devious and malevolent criminal conspiracy orchestrated by the BJP to steal national and state elections".
It further alleged that Kumar had "willingly broken the rule of law by allowing them to access voter rolls, to delete and add voters at will and manipulate the outcome of the elections".
"He is guilty of operationalising a premeditated attack on the electoral process that is the very foundation of India's democracy. This is a criminal act and an act of treason against the nation and the Constitution of India," the resolution said.
The second charge accused Kumar of being directly responsible for what the Opposition described as a manipulated and destructive SIR exercise, which it alleged had resulted in the intentional deletion of 13.2 crore voters, depriving them of their constitutional right to vote.
The resolution said the deletions were carried out in a partisan and opaque manner, in violation of the principles of natural justice.
The third charge concerned alleged changes to Form 6 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. The INDIA bloc accused the CEC of amending the form without parliamentary oversight or knowledge, claiming that the changes were intended to prevent the enrolment of first-time voters.
It described the alleged move as a "criminal conspiracy to prevent the enrollment of first-time voters and stealing from them the fundamental right to vote guaranteed by the Constitution, effectively negating their rights as citizens of India".
The fourth charge accused Kumar of centralising control over electoral rolls through the ERONET/ECINET software. The Opposition alleged that the system was being used to delete voters and prevent local Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) from adding legitimate names to the rolls.
"This is a criminal attempt to tamper with the process of free and fair elections upon which the democratic framework of India is founded. It is an act of treason against the nation and the Constitution of India," the resolution said.
The fifth charge concerned the alleged exclusion of the other two Election Commissioners from decision-making. The INDIA bloc claimed that Kumar had violated the law along with seven associates in the Election Commission while deliberately keeping the two commissioners out of the process.
It said the two commissioners had placed no fewer than 14 objections on record, describing their alleged exclusion as a violation of the constitutional mandate of the Election Commission.
The sixth charge accused Kumar of breaching his constitutional responsibility to function independently and ensure free and fair elections. The Opposition alleged that he had denied it a fair hearing and acted at the behest of Modi and Shah.
The resolution also alleged that several members of Kumar's family had received benefits, including "plum postings and unprecedented opportunities for remuneration", in return for his "shameful compliance with the ruling BJP".
It accused the CEC of having "brazenly" acted against his constitutional mandate at the behest of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, thereby betraying the trust of the people.
Opposition questions legal protection for CEC
The INDIA bloc also questioned the legal protection granted to the CEC under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023.
It alleged that the provision was intended to shield Kumar from accountability, claiming that the "lifelong legal protection provided to Chief Election Commissioner Kumar by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in December 2023 was intended as a cover for the criminal activities enacted by him against the nation and the Constitution of India".
The bloc demanded Kumar's immediate removal and called for him to face trial in accordance with the Constitution.
The resolution concluded: "The Members of Parliament of the INDIA Janbandhan representing over 60% of the population of India and citizens assembled in New Delhi on October 31, 2026, resolve that for this gross betrayal of the people of India the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr. Gyanesh Kumar, must be tried for treason in a court of law in accordance with the legal framework of the Constitution of India."
'Chief Election Culprit'
Opening the proceedings, Meira Kumar said the meeting had been convened because eligible voters were being "wrongfully" removed from electoral rolls and there was no accountability when the INDIA bloc raised the issue.
"When this issue is raised by the INDIA bloc, there is no accountability. So we have decided that the INDIA bloc will hold a meeting and bring a proposal to remove Gyanesh Kumar," she said.
The stage was designed to resemble the old Lok Sabha chamber, with a wooden-panelled backdrop, seats arranged in a semi-circular formation and microphones installed in the first three rows for members to speak from their seats.
Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Kumar and Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy were named deputy presiding officers.
Supporting the resolution, Rahul Gandhi described the symbolic "public impeachment" as an "extremely dangerous political weapon" directed at those who, he alleged, had colluded to destroy the votes of the Indian people.
"I fully support the motion to impeach Gyanesh Kumar, who should be tried for treason in court and justice should be served," Gandhi said in his concluding remarks.
Gandhi claimed that Kumar would "not survive as the CEC", adding that the Opposition had enough evidence to ensure he did not continue in office.
"We have enough evidence to ensure that this gentleman does not continue in office. If the BJP insists on retaining him even after we reveal what we know, then its game will be clear for everyone to see," he said.
Describing the gathering as a political weapon, Gandhi said it was directed at everyone, from Kumar to Modi and Shah, whom he accused of colluding to destroy the votes of the Indian people.
Several other opposition leaders and civil society representatives addressed the gathering. CPI(M) leaders accused the CEC of undermining universal adult franchise through the SIR exercise and said he had lost the moral and legal authority to remain in office.
Trinamool Congress leader Sagarika Ghose alleged that the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections had been "stolen" through the deletion of eligible voters and accused Kumar of working in collusion with the central government to undermine the people's mandate.
Swaraj Abhiyan chief Yogendra Yadav described Kumar as the "Chief Election Culprit", saying in Hindi that he was not "Mukhya Chunav Ayukt" but "Mukhya Chunav Abhiyukt".
Other speakers included CPI MP Sandosh Kumar, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, CPI(ML) Liberation MP Sudama Prasad, Independent MP Kapil Sibal and AISA president Neha Bora, besides civil society members and people who alleged that their names had been wrongly deleted during the SIR exercise.
(With inputs from PTI)