India's Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar has given Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi a seven-day ultimatum, demanding that he either submit a sworn affidavit with proof of alleged electoral roll irregularities or issue an apology. At his first press conference as CEC, Kumar declared that there was no third option, stating that Gandhi’s "vote theft" claims were baseless and undermined the constitutional process.
The CEC explained that there are well-established procedures for citizens to correct errors in the voter list, including filing claims with local officials or through an appellate process. By failing to use these channels and instead making public allegations, Kumar argued that Gandhi was subverting the Constitution. He stressed that the Commission discharges its duties fearlessly and without discrimination, adding that "a lie, if repeated several times, does not become a truth." Kumar also asserted that the Election Commission stands firm in its commitment to enrolling every eligible Indian citizen.
Reacting sharply, Rahul Gandhi launched a counter-attack, accusing the Election Commission of aiding the BJP and stealing votes. Speaking in Bihar, where his party was launching a protest against electoral roll revisions, Gandhi alleged that a new law was passed in 2023 to protect election commissioners from legal action, enabling them to help the ruling party.
Oppn may move to impeach CEC
Amid the ongoing EC-opposition clash, INDIA bloc floated the possibility of moving for impeachment of Gyanesh Kumar. It said Election Commission is no longer capable of ensuring a level playing field and, instead, is led by officers who thwart any attempt at probing voter fraud. While the proposal to move for Kumar’s removal was discussed briefly in a coordination meeting of opposition parties and is not final, the INDIA bloc chose to amplify it by confirming that the impeachment notice was brainstormed by the allies and drew wide consensus.