Notices moved by Opposition MPs in Parliament have sought the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging “proved misbehaviour”, including acting under the “thumb of the executive” and enabling “mass disenfranchisement” through electoral roll revision exercises.
The notices, submitted on March 12 in both Houses, have been backed by 130 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 63 in the Rajya Sabha, and seek initiation of proceedings for the CEC’s removal.
Among the seven charges listed, the Opposition has accused Kumar of “failure to maintain independence and constitutional fidelity” and of acting in alignment with the executive, undermining the neutrality of the Election Commission of India.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said the Opposition was awaiting action on the notices. “If the notices are not taken up by the Union government, doubts will be raised about a tacit understanding between the executive and the CEC,” he said.
The notices describe maintaining a level playing field as “the heart and soul of electoral democracy” and part of the Constitution’s basic structure, alleging that the CEC’s actions compromised this principle.
Also read: 193 Opposition MPs move notice to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar
A key charge relates to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise of electoral rolls, which the Opposition claimed imposed “exclusionary documentation requirements” and led to the “systematic disenfranchisement” of vulnerable groups.
Referring to Bihar, the notices cited the exclusion of around 65 lakh voters, calling it a “staggering figure”, and alleged that the exercise influenced electoral outcomes. Similar concerns were raised about West Bengal, where large-scale deletions and pending voter verifications were flagged.
The Opposition also questioned Kumar’s appointment process, noting that it is under challenge before the Supreme Court. It alleged that the appointment was pushed through “with haste” despite an impending hearing, suggesting “a deliberate intent by the executive to install a person of its choosing”.
Further allegations include “discriminatory treatment” of political leaders, citing a 2025 press conference where Kumar asked Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to either apologise or substantiate claims of electoral fraud with an affidavit, while not making a similar demand of BJP leader Anurag Thakur.
The notices also accused the CEC of “deliberate obstruction of justice”, citing refusal to provide machine-readable voter lists and CCTV footage from polling booths, and alleged that the Commission had become “opaque and unaccountable”.
The removal of a Chief Election Commissioner follows a process similar to that of a Supreme Court judge, requiring proof of “misbehaviour or incapacity”, examination by a judicial committee, and passage of a motion in both Houses of Parliament.
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