Opposition Moves Notice Seeking Removal of CEC, Raises Concerns Over Independence

PTI, March 22, 2026, New Delhi: The notices moved by the opposition MPs in Parliament seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar have accused him of “acting under the thumb of the executive”, besides blaming him for “mass disenfranchisement” through the SIR exercise, and raising questions on his appointment.

The notices submitted in the two Houses of Parliament on March 12 list seven charges against the chief election commissioner (CEC) as grounds of “proved misbehaviour”, calling for his removal.

The opposition MPs, 130 in the Lok Sabha and 63 in the Rajya Sabha, have also sought a motion to remove the CEC.

Asked about the notices, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien said they are waiting for action on them.

“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,” said O'Brien.

The notices termed maintaining a level playing field “the heart and soul of electoral democracy”, and part of the basic structure of the Constitution.

Among the charges of “proved misbehaviour”, the Opposition accused the CEC of “failure to maintain independence and constitutional fidelity”, and acting under the “thumb of the executive”.

The Opposition’s charges include the process of Kumar’s appointment as the CEC, his “partisan” press conference on August 17, 2025, targeting Rahul Gandhi, “discriminatory treatment” of Opposition and ruling party members, “obstruction” of investigations, refusal to provide “transparency tools”, and the execution of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise “in alignment with the ruling party's political objectives”.