INDIA bloc seeks removal of Gyanesh Kumar at symbolic public impeachment event

PTI, Oct 31, 2026, New Delhi: The Opposition INDIA bloc on Saturday called for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that he participated in a "devious and malevolent criminal conspiracy orchestrated by the BJP to steal national and state elections", and asserted that he must be tried for "treason" in a court.

The resolution seeking to indict Kumar was read out by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at a symbolic "public impeachment" of the CEC, who has been under fierce attack from the Opposition over alleged electoral irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

The resolution stated that the Members of Parliament of the INDIA bloc resolved that he be impeached on the "charges" laid down by it.

In the first charge, the INDIA bloc alleged that CEC Kumar had overseen and participated in a "devious and malevolent criminal conspiracy orchestrated by the BJP to steal national and state elections".

Kumar had "willingly broken the rule of law by allowing them to access voter rolls, to delete and add voters at will and manipulate the outcome of the elections", the resolution alleged.

"He (CEC) is guilty of operationalising a premeditated attack on the electoral process that is the very foundation of India's democracy. This is a criminal act and an act of treason against the nation and the Constitution of India," said the INDIA bloc resolution.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presided over the event, while Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Awadhesh Prasad and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saugata Roy served as vice-chairs.

Besides Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, party general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal, among others, were present at the "public impeachment" held on the eve of the Opposition rally here.

Additionally, several MPs and leaders from various constituent parties of the Opposition alliance — including SP MP Dharmendra Yadav and TMC parliamentary party leader Derek O'Brien — were in attendance.

The event was part of the Opposition bloc's campaign against alleged irregularities in the SIR exercise and its demand for accountability from the Election Commission.