'Public impeachment' of CEC: No personal enmity, want EC to be impartial, says Kharge

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.

Kharge moves 'impeachment motion' against CEC

Mallikarjun 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"

A blow to soul of our democracy: Meira Kumar

Ours 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 democracy

Proceedings begin; ex-Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar opens proceedings

Proceedings begin at Congress chief Kharge’s residence, with former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presiding.

Congress chief Kharge to initiate proceedings: Meira Kumar

Kharge-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 Kumar

AISA chief Neha Bora arrives at Kharge's residence

Student 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 Trivedi