TMC to bring impeachment motion against poll body chief today
What's the story
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) will introduce an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in both Houses of Parliament on Friday, sources told ANI. The motion has been signed by 128 Lok Sabha MPs and 63 Rajya Sabha MPs, according to ANI. Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee confirmed that members from Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK, and NCP(SCP) have also signed the motion.
Motion details
Impeachment motion based on 'proven misbehavior'
The impeachment motion is based on grounds of "proven misbehavior," "partisan and discriminatory conduct," and the "SIR exercise and mass disenfranchisement." The Opposition has been contemplating this move for months, The Indian Express reported. The TMC has accused Kumar of acting on the orders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal. The party is now taking its fight to Parliament after approaching political and judicial forums.
Allegations
TMC accuses GEC of bias in Bengal
"We have many, many complaints about him. The way the SIR has been handled, the way people have lost their lives because of the SIR, and the way the (voter) list has been published, it must be exposed," Trinamool MP Saugata Roy said. The process for removing a CEC is similar to that of impeaching a Supreme Court judge under Article 324(5) of the Constitution.
Polls
Polls later this year
Article 324 (5) of the Constitution states that "the Chief Election Commissioner shall not be removed from his office except in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court and the conditions of service of the Chief Election Commissioner shall not be varied to his disadvantage after his appointment." West Bengal will hold Legislative Assembly elections later this year.