Gyanesh Kumar: Several opposition parties are considering the option to bring a no-confidence motion against Gyanesh Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner.
Turn Of Events
A Senior Congress leader remarked that talks have been held with Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) group allies. The leader added that all parties on board are ready to bring a no-confidence motion against the CEC over the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls in different states. It was further commented that the motion would be brought up once the no-confidence against Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla has been taken care of.
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For a no-confidence motion to be considered, signatures of a minimum of 100 MPs in the Lok Sabha and at least 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha are needed.
Gyanesh Kumar -What The Law States?
Interestingly, a law incorporated in 2023 regarding the functions and appointments of ECs and CEC state that the CEC shall NOT be removed from the office except in a similar manner and on the same ground as a Supreme Court judge. In other words, the Chief Election Commissioner could only be removed via impeachment in both Parliament Houses.
In another development, a Calcutta High Court filed a police complaint against Kalyan Banerjee after he issued a public threat against Gyanesh Kumar. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP and senior advocate threatened to cut the finger of Gyanesh saying the CEC dared to raise his finger at the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The complaint reads that Kalyan Banerjee has opened threatened a constitutional authority while intimidating the institution of the Election Commission of India.
This is a mere gimmick by the opposition parties because even they are well aware that the resolutions would fail in both Houses of the Parliament as the ruling National Democratic Alliance has sufficient strength to defeat a no-confidence motion. BJP MP Sambit Patra said one constitutional institution always respects another constitutional institution and it is wrong that the Election Commission is being abused by the opposition parties.
