The opposition has moved a fresh notice in both Houses of Parliament to remove Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging grave misconduct. This marks another first in India's parliamentary history, as the earlier notice submitted on April 6 was rejected.
Background of the Notice
The previous notice, filed by opposition parties, was dismissed by the presiding officers of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Undeterred, the opposition has now submitted a similar notice, citing new evidence of alleged misconduct by Kumar. The move is unprecedented, as no prior attempt to remove a CEC has been made twice in such a short span.
Allegations of Grave Misconduct
The opposition claims that Kumar's actions during the recent assembly elections violated the Election Commission's code of conduct. Specific instances of bias and procedural lapses have been highlighted in the notice. The opposition leaders argue that Kumar's continued tenure undermines the credibility of the electoral process.
Parliamentary Procedure
The fresh notice will be examined by the Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman. If admitted, it could lead to a debate and potential vote on the removal of the CEC. However, given the government's majority, the notice is unlikely to succeed.
Political analysts view this as a strategic move by the opposition to keep the issue alive ahead of upcoming elections. The government has dismissed the allegations as baseless, accusing the opposition of disrupting parliamentary proceedings.
