Opposition parties are considering bringing a no-confidence motion against Gyanesh Kumar following mounting disagreements over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls across several states.
The move is expected to be taken up after Parliament addresses a separate motion already pending against Om Birla, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. Senior leaders from opposition parties confirmed that discussions are underway within the INDIA alliance to build consensus on the proposal.
Opposition Building Support for Motion
According to opposition leaders, consultations have been held among alliance partners to secure the necessary parliamentary backing.
Under parliamentary rules, a notice for such a motion requires the signatures of at least 100 Members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha and 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha before it can be formally considered.
Leaders said the opposition intends to proceed step by step, beginning with the pending motion against Speaker Birla before introducing a similar initiative targeting the Chief Election Commissioner.
Legal Process for Removing the Chief Election Commissioner
The removal of the Chief Election Commissioner is governed by provisions similar to those applicable to judges of the Supreme Court of India.
Under the 2023 law governing the appointment and functions of election commissioners, the CEC can only be removed through impeachment by Parliament. A removal motion may be introduced in either House but must pass with a special majority—a majority of the total membership of the House and at least two-thirds of members present and voting.
Dispute Over Special Intensive Revision of Voter Rolls
The dispute centres on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which began in Bihar in 2025 and has since expanded to multiple regions.
Opposition parties have raised concerns that the process could lead to the removal of legitimate voters from electoral rolls. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been particularly vocal, accusing the Election Commission of failing to prevent alleged irregularities in voter registrations in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The Election Commission of India has rejected these claims, calling them baseless and defending the integrity of the revision exercise.
Opposition Moves Supreme Court
Opposition leaders also approached the Supreme Court of India seeking to halt the voter roll revision process, arguing that it could be politically biased in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
However, the apex court allowed the process to continue while hearing arguments regarding the methodology and implementation of the revision.
Mamata Banerjee Raises Concerns Over Voting Rights
Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, recently became the first state leader to directly challenge the SIR process in the Supreme Court.
Banerjee stressed that ensuring voting rights for all citizens must remain the top priority.
“We want to ensure voting rights for everyone. Removing names from voter lists to capture power will not succeed,” she said.
Political Reality: Motion Unlikely to Succeed
Despite the opposition’s efforts, political observers note that any removal motion against the CEC is unlikely to pass. The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) holds sufficient numbers in both houses of Parliament to defeat such proposals.
Responding to the controversy, Sambit Patra of the Bharatiya Janata Party criticized opposition leaders for attacking constitutional institutions.
He said the criticism directed at the Election Commission reflects a disregard for the boundaries and mutual respect expected among India’s constitutional bodies.
