Opposition parties are preparing to move a notice seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, in what could be the first such attempt against a sitting CEC, news agency PTI reported on Monday, citing sources.
According to sources, a draft of the notice has been finalised and is likely to be submitted later this week. A senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) parliamentarian involved in drafting the proposal described the move as a collective effort by opposition parties.
“The drafting and planning has truly been a team effort by all like-minded parties. The execution in both Houses will also be full teamwork,” the TMC leader told PTI, alleging that the chief election commissioner had “totally degraded the great seat he occupies”.
Sources in the Indian National Congress said the party would support the move. Other parties in the opposition’s INDIA bloc are also understood to be on board, with the notice drafted jointly by several parties.
Opposition MPs are expected to begin collecting signatures from members of both Houses. Under parliamentary rules, a notice to move a motion for removal requires the signatures of at least 100 MPs in the Lok Sabha or 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha.
The process for removing the CEC is similar to that for removing a judge of the Supreme Court of India or a high court. The motion can be introduced in either House of Parliament and must be passed by a special majority — a majority of the total membership of the House and a two-thirds majority of members present and voting. The grounds for removal are limited to proven misbehaviour or incapacity.
Under the law governing the appointment of the CEC and election commissioners, the chief election commissioner “shall not be removed from office except in the like manner and on the like grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court”. Other election commissioners can be removed only on the recommendation of the CEC.
Mamata Banerjee, chief of the TMC and Chief Minister of West Bengal, had recently backed the idea of bringing an impeachment motion against the CEC if it was moved collectively by opposition parties. She is currently staging an indefinite protest against the deletion of names during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.
(With inputs from PTI)
