The Opposition INDIA bloc is preparing to bring an impeachment notice against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, intensifying its standoff with the Election Commission after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged large-scale voter fraud during the recent general elections.
The move follows Gandhi’s claim on August 7 that over one lakh “stolen votes” in Mahadevapura assembly segment of Bangalore Central enabled the BJP’s Lok Sabha win, accusing the poll body of “colluding” with the ruling party. He also pointed to alleged irregularities in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Haryana.
EC Dismisses Charges
In response, the CEC strongly rejected Gandhi’s allegations, calling them “baseless” and “an insult to the Constitution.” At a press conference, Kumar demanded Gandhi either submit a signed affidavit to substantiate his claims or issue a public apology within seven days.
“There is no third option,” Kumar declared, adding that repeating falsehoods does not make them true.
The CEC also defended the Commission’s decision to limit access to CCTV footage of polling booths to 45 days, citing voter privacy. Allegations of inflated voter lists in Maharashtra, he said, lacked evidence.
Opposition Rallies Behind Gandhi
Opposition leaders quickly closed ranks. Congress’ Pawan Khera accused the CEC of sounding like a BJP spokesperson, while RJD’s Manoj Jha said the Commission was dodging “burning questions.” JMM MP Mahua Maji demanded clarity on the documents presented by Gandhi, which included claims of duplicate voter names, invalid addresses, and bulk registrations.
Gandhi himself accused the Commission of selective targeting, questioning why BJP MP Anurag Thakur, who made similar claims, was not asked to file an affidavit.
Constitutional Challenge Ahead
Under Article 324(5) of the Constitution, the Chief Election Commissioner can only be removed in the same manner as a Supreme Court judge—requiring a motion of impeachment by both Houses of Parliament.
While the INDIA bloc has announced its intent, the motion’s fate remains uncertain given the BJP-led NDA’s numerical strength. Still, the move signals an escalating confrontation between the Opposition and the Election Commission at a time when trust in electoral processes is under sharp political scrutiny.
