Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday said any fresh attempt to remove Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar will follow due parliamentary process. Speaking to media persons ahead of the October 26-27 BRICS Parliamentary Forum, he asserted that the Opposition's impeachment notice will follow the prescribed procedure.
On the possibility of recent youth protests against the Chief Election Commissioner in Delhi and other parts of the country figuring in parliamentary debates, Birla said any MP can raise any issue in Parliament, but placards and sloganeering have no place in any democracy.
He asserted democracy is embedded in India's living ethos and that it remains committed to safeguarding free speech and open debate.
INDIA Bloc May Bring Impeachment Notice Against CEC
Earlier on September 30, top leaders of the INDIA bloc met in New Delhi to finalise an action plan for a joint agitation over alleged irregularities in the SIR. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, AICC general secretaries Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal, the TMC's Mamata Banerjee, and leaders from parties such as the SP, CPI, CPI(M), NCP(SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), among others, were present at the meeting. News agency PTI, quoting sources, reported that the draft notice for a fresh bid to move a motion in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha for the removal of the CEC was discussed at the meeting.
Why Does Oppn Wants To Remove CEC?
The Opposition wants to remove the CEC Kumar over the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The issue is being seen by the opposition INDIA bloc as an opportunity to close ranks and corner the government.
The SIR issue suddenly snowballed and triggered a political storm after The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected on record at least 14 times over the past 10 months to decisions and orders on the SIR that they said were issued without their knowledge or recommendation.
Under fire over the red flags raised by two of its commissioners over the SIR process, the EC has asserted that differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberations in any institution and all its orders carry full legal sanction and follow established statutory procedures.
What Is The Process Of Impeachment?
The process for impeaching the CEC is similar to that for a Supreme Court judge. The removal can take place only on the grounds of proven misbehaviour or incapacity. A motion for removal may be introduced in either House of Parliament and must be passed by a special majority - a majority of the total membership of the House and a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, which means neither the government nor the Opposition can impeach the CEC because, alone, they lack a two-thirds majority. If the Opposition and the government come together, then Kumar could be removed.
(With PTI Inputs)