New Delhi, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Wednesday called for bringing out a five-month-old motion seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, following a news report that two Election Commissioners had objected to several decisions of the poll panel amid the SIR exercise.
The motion, submitted to the Rajya Sabha chairman in April this year, was signed by over 70 MPs, more than the requisite support of 50 members needed to initiate the process for removal of the CEC.
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It was moved under Article 324(5) of the Constitution, which provides for the removal of the CEC in the same manner and on the same grounds as a Supreme Court judge.
"...five months ago, more than 60 Rajya Sabha members of Parliament -- when only 50 were needed -- 60 wrote to the chairman of the Rajya Sabha moving a motion to remove the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar," O'Brien told PTI.
"That was five months ago. Now today, after this big news break, that two election commissioners objected to many of the CEC's actions, it's time to bring out the Rajya Sabha notice to impeach the CEC and save democracy," the Rajya Sabha MP said.
"Impeach CEC to save democracy," he said in a post on X.
O'Brien's remarks came after The Indian Express reported on Wednesday that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders of the Election Commission, including on addition, deletion and restoration of voters and changes to the voter registration process.
The report claimed the objections were over decisions taken without the knowledge of the two Election Commissioners.
In the wake of the Indian Express report, EC officials said the two commissioners had flagged decisions taken during the poll roll cleanup and handling of the voter database in various states.
EC sources maintained that all decisions of the Election Commission of India, including SIR, have been unanimous and with the approval of both the Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner.
The notice seeking CEC Kumar's removal was moved in the Rajya Sabha earlier this year. It alleged "proved misbehaviour" in the discharge of his functions as CEC and referred to a series of decisions and actions after March 15, 2026. The notice invoked Article 324(5) of the Constitution and the procedure under the Judges (Inquiry) Act for removal of a CEC.
The notice came against the backdrop of opposition criticism of the Election Commission's handling of electoral rolls and its actions during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. Among the matters cited in the notice were the commission's handling of the Model Code of Conduct, an April 8 social media post concerning the Trinamool Congress and issues relating to electoral roll revision in West Bengal. PTI
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