INDIA alliance may move impeachment against CEC Gyanesh Kumar amid Congress allegations vote fraud bias

New Delhi (India) August 18: According to sources, the opposition is thinking of filing an impeachment notice against Gyanesh Kumar. He is the chief election commissioner (CEC). This is for allegedly engaging in "vote chori." 

Opposition plans impeachment notice

Imran Pratapgarhi, a Congress MP says, "We will be taking a decision very soon." The Opposition currently lacks the two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament needed to remove the CEC.

The development corresponds to CEC's news conference in New Delhi the day before. The Congress accuses the election body of widespread voting fraud. The party says that the Commission was biased in favor of the party in power.

The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 states that the removal of a CEC can occur in the same way and for the same reasons as a Supreme Court ruling.

Accordingly, a motion requiring a two-thirds majority in both Houses can be used by Parliament to remove the CEC. A minimum of 50 members must sign the motion in order for it to be approved.

CEC rejects all allegations

CEC Gyanesh Kumar defends the integrity of India's voting process on Sunday. He strongly refutes claims of electoral fraud made by the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi claims unusual patterns such as a number of voters registered at the same address, duplicate entries, and voters listed with house number zero. 

Kumar cites instances from the Mahadevapura assembly segment in Karnataka's Bangalore Central constituency, where the Congress had really won the 2023 state elections. He rejects these assertions as false. Additionally, he makes it clear that from September 1, no complaints will be allowed on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) draft list in Bihar.

Kumar demands either apology or proof

Kumar criticizes the Congress MP's "PPT presentation" for providing a "wrong analysis" of voter data. He urges the Leader of the Opposition to "apologise to the nation" or provide an affidavit for his claims within seven days.

The Election Commission also addresses specific charges. They state that claims of double voting had been misrepresented. Kumar clarifies, "It is one thing to have a voter's name in more than one booth, and quite another to actually cast votes at two places." He emphasizes that it is illegal to vote twice.

He rejects Gandhi's claim that duplicate names amounted to "vote chori." He notes that electoral records and voting are different processes subject to different laws and officials.