Kharge to move motion, ex-LS speaker Meira Kumar to preside over INDIA bloc's mock impeachment of CEC Gyanesh Kumar
Former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar will preside over the INDIA bloc's mock public impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi on Saturday, while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will initiate the proceedings.
The public “impeachment” programme planned by the opposition against the CEC over alleged electoral irregularities will take place at Kharge's residence, 10, Rajaji Marg, from 3.30 pm onwards.
The mock impeachment was earlier scheduled for Friday, but was postponed following unseasonal rains.
Follow live updates on anti-SIR protest here
It will be attended by nearly 21 opposition parties, which includes INDIA bloc members and several Left parties, India Today reported. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh had on Wednesday claimed that the opposition had been denied police permission to hold the “impeachment” at public venues, while accusing the government of trying to silence the voice of common people and “destroying” the electoral system.
Opposition to adopt motion against CEC; Rahul to make concluding remarks
The event will follow a format similar to parliamentary proceedings for “impeachment”, with Kharge moving the “motion” and former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar presiding over the proceedings in the symbolic protest. Kumar served as the 15th Speaker of the Lok Sabha from June 4, 2009, to June 4, 2014, and was the first woman to hold the office.
Congress' deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said the opposition wants “every important issue related to SIR and vote theft to be discussed”, adding that this would highlight the “pain of the people and the attack on democracy”, news agency PTI reported.
Samajwadi Party's Harendra Malik said only one person from each party will speak at the mock impeachment. After the discussion, leader of opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will make concluding remarks, following which the “motion” will be adopted. Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, Kharge said the Opposition would continue its protest.
“All parties are supporting us. Even tomorrow, there is mock Parliament and on November 1, we are having this rally and people from across the country are coming. We will fight,” PTI cited Kharge as saying.
With the Opposition planning the mock impeachment and a November 1 rally at the Ramlila Maidan, Union home minister Amit Shah said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was ready to call a special session of Parliament to discuss vote theft allegations.
“I am ready to call a special session of Parliament to discuss vote chori (vote theft allegations). But Rahul baba will never agree. He will never discuss the issue in Parliament but will create a nuisance on the street,” Shah told party workers in Lucknow.
Why the protests against CEC Gyanesh Kumar?
While the Opposition has levelled allegations of “vote chori” and objected to the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in states several times in the past, a fresh row erupted against CEC Gyanesh Kumar after an Indian Express report last month.
The report said Election Commissioners had objected to decisions made by the CEC 14 times over a 10-month period. While the poll body maintained that all its decisions were unanimous, the report gave fresh momentum to the Opposition's allegations of “vote chori”, following which protests were called by student organisations, INDIA bloc parties and the Cockroach Janta Party.
The protests saw mass detentions earlier this month, including that of several former chief ministers and INDIA bloc leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.
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