Rahul Gandhi Explains Why Opposition Staged Public Impeachment of Gyanesh Kumar

Rahul Gandhi Questions Lack of Institutional Accountability, Targets EC and Government

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has criticised the government and the Election Commission of India (ECI), questioning why opposition parties had to gather in the garden of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s official residence to demand accountability from Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

Speaking at the gathering in New Delhi, Gandhi described the situation as “quite absurd” and alleged that democratic institutions were not providing the opposition with adequate opportunities to raise concerns over electoral transparency.

He argued that parliamentary and other formal channels for questioning the Election Commission had become inaccessible, forcing opposition parties to take their campaign directly to the public.

“When the doors of Parliament and the courts are closed to questions about electoral integrity, the public square—even a garden—becomes our court,” Gandhi said.

The event was chaired by former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and attended by representatives of 21 opposition parties. The INDIA bloc leaders collectively adopted a symbolic resolution demanding the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

KHARGE ALLEGES IRREGULARITIES IN VOTER LIST REVISION
Presenting the resolution, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Election Commission of conducting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in a manner that allegedly resulted in the deletion of genuine voters.

Kharge expressed concern that people from vulnerable and minority communities could have been affected by the exercise. He maintained that the Election Commission’s primary responsibility was to protect every Indian citizen’s right to vote.

Rahul Gandhi also raised questions over the scale of voter deletions, claiming that approximately 13.3 crore names had been removed from electoral rolls across different states. He alleged that the exercise had undermined the fairness of the electoral process.

Gandhi further referred to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, arguing that the number of deleted voters was significant in comparison with the margins that determined several electoral outcomes. He accused the Election Commission of failing to ensure adequate safeguards for voters.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut also criticised the poll body during the gathering. Using a sporting analogy, he said that if the referee began supporting one team, people would have to raise their voices outside the stadium.

BJP REJECTS OPPOSITION’S SYMBOLIC IMPEACHMENT
The BJP strongly criticised the opposition’s initiative, describing it as political theatre and questioning the constitutional validity of the symbolic proceedings.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra defended the Election Commission and said voter list revisions were conducted according to established procedures. He accused the Congress of blaming electoral institutions whenever it faced defeat.

Patra also argued that holding a mock impeachment exercise at a private residence demonstrated the opposition’s disregard for constitutional processes.

The development comes amid an intensifying political confrontation between the INDIA bloc and the BJP-led government over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and allegations of irregularities in voter registration.

The opposition is also preparing to organise demonstrations in the national capital as part of its broader campaign demanding greater transparency and accountability in the electoral system.