Synopsis: INDIA Bloc considers a motion to remove Election Commission Chief Gyanesh Kumar after his ultimatum to Rahul Gandhi, intensifying the clash between Opposition and poll body.
Qalam Times News Network | New Delhi | August 18, 2025
INDIA Bloc’s Motion Plan
Election Commission Chief Gyanesh Kumar has emerged at the centre of a political storm after his sharp ultimatum to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Sources within the Opposition alliance INDIA Bloc confirm that floor leaders are actively weighing a motion to remove him from office—a step that mirrors the impeachment process of a Supreme Court judge.
The move was discussed at a high-level strategy meeting in Parliament on Monday, where leaders from across the bloc debated how to counter the Chief Election Commissioner’s remarks dismissing allegations of widespread voter fraud.
High Threshold for Removal
Under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, the removal of an Election Commission Chief follows the same strict procedure as that of a Supreme Court judge. The motion requires support from at least 50 MPs to be admitted, and passage depends on a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament.
Given the Opposition’s numerical disadvantage, insiders concede that the INDIA Bloc lacks the numbers to push the motion through. Still, leaders argue that tabling it would serve as a public protest against what they describe as Gyanesh Kumar’s “partisan conduct.”
CEC Strikes Back at ‘Vote Theft’ Allegations
The row escalated after Gyanesh Kumar, in a New Delhi press conference on Sunday, rejected Rahul Gandhi’s charge of “vote theft” in the Mahadevapura Assembly segment during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Kumar declared that using “improper words” amounted to an insult to the Constitution and insisted the Election Commission treats every party equally.
“More than one crore officials, ten lakh booth-level agents and twenty lakh polling agents oversee elections. Can anyone steal votes under such transparent scrutiny?” he asked, challenging critics to provide proof of irregularities.
Rahul Gandhi’s Bihar Push
Meanwhile, Gandhi has doubled down on his campaign with the launch of the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar, a 1,300-kilometre march across 20 districts ahead of state elections. The Congress and its ally RJD have also petitioned against the Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of voter lists in Bihar, alleging collusion with the BJP to alter rolls in favour of the ruling party.
Kumar, however, has demanded that Gandhi either file an affidavit substantiating his claims or apologise to the nation within seven days. “There is no third option,” he said, making clear that failure to comply would render the allegations “baseless.”
Political Reactions
Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain accused the CEC of sounding like a “BJP spokesperson” and vowed that the Opposition would explore “every democratic option” in response.
The BJP, for its part, ridiculed the INDIA Bloc’s reported plan. Rajya Sabha MP Radha Mohan Das Agarwal remarked, “What can we expect from fools? I am surprised they have not yet moved to impeach the Supreme Court and the high courts as well.”
For now, the INDIA Bloc’s motion against Election Commission Chief Gyanesh Kumar appears unlikely to succeed numerically—but its symbolic value may set the tone for an escalating battle over the credibility of India’s electoral process.
