On a Thursday in late October, the leaders of India's opposition INDIA bloc gathered at Mallikarjun Kharge's home to finalise a symbolic event that is unusual in its form: a mock 'public impeachment' of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Scheduled for the following afternoon and to be chaired by former Speaker Meira Kumar, the proceeding borrows the ritual of parliament to voice a grievance the opposition has been carrying for months, namely that irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls amount to 'vote chori', or vote theft. The allegations remain contested,
Opposition to Stage 'Public Impeachment' of Election Commissioner at Kharge's Residence
A parliamentary session, recreated in a living room
Mark
Why stage an impeachment that has no legal force?
Mimi
Because the formal route isn't what they're using here. They've built a parliamentary-style session, with Meira Kumar in the chair, speakers on both benches, and a motion at the end. It's a public statement.
Mark
And why at Kharge's house?
Mimi
The Opposition says it was denied permission for other venues. So the residence became the venue.
Luke
Worth noting that's the Opposition's account of the venue denial. The reporting doesn't say who refused or on what grounds.
Mark
Who's taking part?
Mimi
Leaders from Congress, Trinamool, CPI(M), JMM, RJD and the Samajwadi Party were at Thursday's meeting. The point Gaurav Gogoi stressed was unity.
Luke
The 30-plus speakers figure comes from sources, not an official list. And the plan that Rahul Gandhi closes and the motion is adopted is also expected, not confirmed.
Mark
What's the underlying charge?
Mimi
Alleged vote theft and irregularities in the SIR of electoral rolls.
Luke
Those are allegations, and the source says plainly they remain contested. We don't have the Election Commission's response here, nor any specifics on the irregularities.
Il Polso
- Opposition leaders are staging a mock impeachment of the Chief Election Commissioner, a move that treats a constitutional office as a public dock.
- The venue has been moved to Mallikarjun Kharge's residence after the bloc says other locations refused permission, sharpening the sense of a contest over who may speak in public.
- More than thirty speakers are set to take the floor, with MPs from both treasury and opposition benches crossing sides to recreate the atmosphere of a sitting House.
- The bloc is channelling the charge of vote theft and flaws in the Special Intensive Revision into a motion that Rahul Gandhi will close and that is meant to be adopted.
- The outcome now hinges on whether the event proceeds as planned and whether the Election Commission answers the call for accountability.
On a Thursday in late October, the leaders of India's opposition INDIA bloc gathered at Mallikarjun Kharge's home to finalise a symbolic event that is unusual in its form: a mock 'public impeachment' of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Scheduled for the following afternoon and to be chaired by former Speaker Meira Kumar, the proceeding borrows the ritual of parliament to voice a grievance the opposition has been carrying for months, namely that irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls amount to 'vote chori', or vote theft. The allegations remain contested, and the gathering's ambition is less to settle the question than to hold a mirror up to the institution that stands at the centre of India's democratic trust.
On Thursday, a group of Opposition leaders met at the home of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to settle the last details of a most unusual gathering. The next afternoon, at 3.30 pm, they plan a 'public impeachment' of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, run along the lines of a parliamentary proceeding and chaired by former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar. Kharge's house was chosen, the opposition says, because it was refused permission to hold the event elsewhere.
The target is what the bloc calls 'vote chori', or vote theft, and the irregularities it alleges in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The bloc holds the Election Commission responsible for allowing those irregularities and wants the poll body called to account, though the allegations themselves remain disputed.
More than thirty speakers are expected, with MPs from both sides of the House taking seats on each other's benches to echo a real sitting. Kharge will open, Rahul Gandhi will give the closing remarks, and a motion is to be put forward for adoption. Thursday's meeting included Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera, Gaurav Gogoi, Mahua Moitra, Derek O'Brien, John Brittas and leaders from several other parties. Gogoi said the event would bring public concerns about democracy into the open and demonstrate opposition unity in defending democratic institutions.
What remains to be seen is whether the gathering goes ahead at Kharge's residence as planned, and whether the Election Commission answers the demand for accountability.
On Thursday, a group of Opposition leaders gathered at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to settle the final details of an unusual event: a "public impeachment" of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, scheduled for Friday, October 30. The INDIA bloc intends to run it along the lines of a parliamentary proceeding.
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar will chair it. The session is set for 3.30 pm at Kharge's home, a location chosen because the Opposition says it was refused permission to hold the event at other venues.
The event is a protest against what the bloc calls "vote chori," or vote theft, and against alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision, or SIR, of electoral rolls. The INDIA bloc accuses the Election Commission of allowing those irregularities and wants the poll body held accountable. Those allegations remain contested.
According to sources, more than 30 speakers are expected. MPs will take both the treasury and opposition benches in order to recreate the feel of a sitting of the House. Kharge is to open the proceedings. Rahul Gandhi, the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, is expected to give the concluding remarks, after which the proposed motion is to be adopted.
Thursday's meeting drew a broad group. From the Congress came Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera and Gaurav Gogoi. The Trinamool Congress was represented by Mahua Moitra and Derek O'Brien, and CPI(M) by MP John Brittas. Also present were Mahua Maji of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Abhay Sinha of the RJD and Harendra Malik of the Samajwadi Party, among others.
Afterwards, Pawan Khera, a Congress spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP, said the leaders had gone over the order of proceedings and other arrangements. Gaurav Gogoi, the Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, said the programme would take up the key questions around the SIR and the alleged vote theft. He said it would bring out public concerns about democracy and show the Opposition's unity in protecting democratic institutions.
What to watch is whether the event goes ahead at Kharge's residence as planned, and whether the Election Commission responds to the demand for accountability.
Citazioni salienti
The programme would address key questions surrounding the SIR and alleged vote theft, and convey the Opposition's unity in protecting democratic institutions.— Gaurav Gogoi, Congress deputy leader in the Lok Sabha (paraphrased)
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