India opposition parties hold mock impeachment of poll chief

NEW DELHI: India's political opposition staged a symbolic impeachment of the election commissioner on Saturday (Oct 31) to protest against a revision of voter lists that they say could unfairly benefit the ruling party.

The nationwide revision of electoral rolls has sparked political disputes and street protests in the world's largest democracy over the last month.

The Election Commission says the initiative is necessary to ensure accurate voter lists, but the opposition claims it is being manipulated to favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Both the Election Commission and the BJP deny the allegations.

On Saturday, opposition parties gathered at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in the capital New Delhi, re-enacting a parliamentary session.

They held mock impeachment proceedings, which have no constitutional or legal force, against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

"The motion we have brought forward today is aimed at safeguarding the dignity of a constitutional institution," Kharge said.

"Our intention is for the Election Commission to function impartially, in line with the spirit of the constitution."

Under the constitution, the chief election commissioner can only be removed through a parliamentary process requiring a special majority.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the opposition had resorted to the symbolic exercise as they "have nowhere else to go".

"We have no other option. Every single institution... is closed for us," Gandhi said.

The event came a day before a major opposition rally in Delhi backed by the Cockroach Janta Party, an online youth-led movement that also supports the campaign against the voter-roll revision.

Home Minister Amit Shah said the BJP was ready to hold a special session of parliament to discuss the revision.

"But they (the opposition) have no intention of speaking there. They refuse to let the parliament function. Instead, they just create a ruckus," he said.