Opposition to move impeachment motion against Gyanesh Kumar amid EC dissent row

The Opposition INDIA bloc is set to initiate a fresh move for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with preparations underway to bring an impeachment motion in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. A new draft is being finalised, and Congress sources told India Today that the notice could be submitted as early as next week.The move follows an Indian Express investigation published earlier this week, which reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections at least 14 times over 10 months against various Election Commission decisions and orders, including those concerning the ongoing revision of electoral rolls.Opposition parties have stepped up their criticism of Kumar following the reports and have gone full throttle in their attack on the CEC, demanding his resignation, arrest and repolls in several states which were overseen by the poll panel chief.According to the Opposition, the reported objections have raised serious questions about the manner in which decisions were being taken within the poll panel. INDIA bloc leaders have argued that the developments warrant a fresh parliamentary effort to seek Kumar’s removal and that the new motion will contain more charges than those cited in earlier proceedings.MOTION EARLIER MOVED IN APRILThe proposed initiative is also being viewed against the backdrop of an earlier notice submitted in the Rajya Sabha. On April 24, 73 Opposition MPs submitted a notice seeking Kumar’s removal on the grounds of alleged "proved misbehaviour". The notice was presented as a fresh proceeding based on alleged conduct after March 15. The Opposition had previously submitted a removal notice on March 12, but that attempt was subsequently rejected by the presiding authorities of the two Houses.The status of the April notice has since become uncertain after seven of the MPs who had signed it reportedly switched parties.Opposition leaders are therefore working on a fresh draft, taking into account the latest developments and the political controversy surrounding the Election Commission.THE REPORT THAT TRIGGERED ROWThe immediate trigger for the renewed push is a report that Sandhu and Joshi had formally recorded objections on at least 14 occasions over the past 10 months on matters related to the SIR exercise.The reported objections included issues concerning voter deletions, restoration of names and aspects of the handling of electoral data.The Election Commission, however, has rejected the characterisation of these objections as institutional dissent. EC sources have maintained that individual differences during deliberations are normal and that all final decisions, including those concerning SIR, were taken unanimously with the approval of all three commissioners.OPPOSITION CALLS IT 'ACT OF TREASON'The Opposition has nevertheless used the controversy to intensify its broader campaign against Kumar. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has reiterated his "vote chori" allegation and said, "The BJP, RSS and the EC who organised it have committed an act of treason. Justice will be served".Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has also alleged that "the CEC has destroyed the credibility and integrity of the Election Commission of India".Other INDIA bloc leaders have demanded Kumar’s removal and called for further scrutiny of the Election Commission’s functioning.Arvind Kejriwal has additionally called for the SIR exercise to be scrapped, while several Opposition leaders have sought judicial or parliamentary intervention.BJP DEFENDS 'DIFFERENCE IN OPINION'The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the Election Commission and argued that differences of opinion among commissioners are part of institutional deliberations rather than evidence of a breakdown in the poll panel.With the fresh draft now being prepared, the Opposition is expected to finalise the charges and gather the required parliamentary support before submitting notices in both Houses.The proposed motion is likely to keep the Election Commission and the SIR controversy at the centre of the political agenda in the coming days.- EndsWith PTI inputsPublished On: Sep 24, 2026 16:49 IST