'Public impeachment' of Gyanesh Kumar: Neha Bora accuses CEC of abusing office to favour BJP

NEW DELHI: The Congress-led INDIA bloc is holding a symbolic "public impeachment" programme against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence.The exercise is being held amid allegations of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls under Kumar's watch.Separately, The Indian Express reported last month that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times to decisions they alleged were taken without their knowledge. These included decisions concerning the SIR, adding to the scrutiny of Kumar.The "impeachment" exercise is being held a day ahead of the INDIA bloc's "Delhi Chalo" rally at Ramlila Maidan, where the opposition will seek Kumar's resignation.SP calls SIR 'direct assault' on PDA Supporting the "impeachment motion," Samajwadi Party MP termed the SIR exercise a "direct assault" on the 'PDA', alleging that it is being used to remove the names of voters belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, backward classes and minority communities from electoral rolls."The SIR is not a standard procedure; it is an attempt to influence elections through 'match-fixing.' It is a direct assault on the 'PDA.' The names of SC, ST, OBC, and minority voters are being deleted. If the Constitution and democracy are to be saved, the chief election commissioner must be removed," Malik said.'Keep Rahul as your mock PM': BJPThe Constitution of India provides this protection (legal immunity to CEC) ... Go hold your mock parliament, carry out your marches. The world has already realised that Rahul Gandhi lacks the fuel. This satellite will never launch. Keep him as your mock Prime Minister for life. We have no objection: Sambit PatraBJP invokes 'ASDD' formula to target CongressAcross various states, the names of 13 crore people have not yet been included in the final electoral roll. Why is this the case? What is this 'ASDD' formula? 'A' stands for 'Absent'. There is an official known as a BLO (Booth Level Officer). The BLO is responsible for an 'enumeration form' that every individual is required to complete. The BLO visits your home three times with this form. If you are not present on any of these three occasions, you are marked as 'absent', and your name is excluded from the electoral roll. What about 'S' in 'ASDD'? It stands for 'Shifted'—permanently shifted: Sambit Patra, BJP MPNehru became PM by 'vote theft': BJP hits back at INDIA blocYes, there is truth to the claim of vote theft. Vote theft did indeed take place. Today is October 31st. It is the birth anniversary of the revered Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. And if there was ever a vote theft in India, it was committed by the first member of the Gandhi family, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who stole the votes of prominent Congress leaders. Those leaders had cast their votes in a ballot box to elect Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as Prime Minister. By stealing those votes, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru became the Prime Minister of the country, an unelected Prime Minister: Sambit Patra, BJP MPKharge invokes legal immunity to CECIt is clear that the lifelong legal protection provided to the Chief Election Commissioner, Mr Gyanesh Kumar, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah through this government in December 2023 was intended as a cover for the criminal activities enacted by him against the nation and the Constitution of India. Therefore, he must be removed forthwith: Mallikarjun KhargeKharge list 6 'charges' against Gyanesh KumarConspired to steal electionsDeleted 13.2 crore votersRewrote Form 6 without Parliament oversightSeized rolls through ECINetShut out the other two election commissionersActed at the behest of PM Modi and HM ShahKharge moves 'impeachment motion' against CECMallikarjun Kharge moves "impeachment motion" against CEC Gyanesh Kumar."We have no personal enmity with CEC, we want EC to work impartially""CEC Gyanesh Kumar running EC on direction of PM Modi and HM Shah""Threat to democracy will increase if people like CEC Gyanesh Kumar continue on constitutional post"A blow to soul of our democracy: Meira KumarOurs is the largest democracy in the world. Nations across the globe, in Asia, Africa, and South America, look up to us and follow our model of democracy. Our democracy is driven by the power of elections, and at the heart of this electoral power lies the soul of the voter. The voter is the focal point of the entire electoral process. If even a single voter is denied the right to cast their vote, it strikes a blow to the very soul of our democracy. Preventing someone from voting inflicts harm upon our democracyProceedings begin; ex-Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar opens proceedingsProceedings begin at Congress chief Kharge’s residence, with former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presiding.Congress chief Kharge to initiate proceedings: Meira KumarKharge-sahab will begin, followed by leaders from the INDIA bloc and representatives from civil society; additionally, citizens whose names have been removed from the voter list will share their perspectives: Congress leader and ex-Lok Sabha Speaker Meira KumarAISA chief Neha Bora arrives at Kharge's residenceStudent activist Neha Bora, president of All India Students' Association, arrives for the programme."I have come for the public impeachment. This impeachment—something people across India have been demanding for a long time—is taking place here today. If those currently in power in Parliament were truly representing the interests of the people, then what is happening here today would instead be taking place inside our Parliament," she told reporters.CEC has 'disqualified' himself as an 'impartial umpire': Shashi Tharoor on 'public impeachment'According to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, the "public impeachment" programme is being held to reinforce that CEC Kumar has "disqualified himself as an impartial umpire" of the electoral process."I understand that the Congress party and the other opposition parties' notices of impeachment have not been admitted by the presiding officers of either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. This is why we have no choice but to conduct the impeachment here," Tharoor told reporters outside the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.BJP hits out at Rahul Gandhi ahead of 'mock Parliament'After being successively unsuccessful in creating anarchy in India, the Congress party, just in order to give solace to the sentiment of their maverick prince, Rahul Gandhi, is now creating a hallucination that he is there in the Parliament of his own choice by creating a mock parliament: BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu TrivediGet the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.