Opposition Gears Up for Do-or-Die Fight Over SIR, Mulls Impeachment Against EC Chief

National News: The political storm over alleged voter list manipulation escalated on Sunday after Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar issued a sharp rebuttal to the opposition’s charges of “vote theft.” His response came amid reports that the Congress-led INDIA bloc is considering moving an impeachment motion against him in Parliament.

Opposition Mulls Action

Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi said the alliance would soon take a decision on bringing an impeachment resolution against Kumar. However, under constitutional provisions, removing the Chief Election Commissioner is possible only through a rigorous process requiring a two-thirds majority in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha—numbers the opposition currently does not command.

Despite this hurdle, opposition leaders, particularly the Congress and the RJD, continue to accuse the Election Commission of partisanship in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar.

CEC’s Strong Rebuttal

Responding to the allegations, Kumar categorically rejected suggestions of large-scale electoral fraud. Without naming Rahul Gandhi, he referred to the Congress MP’s August 7 presentation as a “misleading analysis of voter data.”

“The so-called PPT presentation is incorrect. If the claims are genuine, let them be backed by an affidavit within seven days. Otherwise, an apology to the people of India is due,” Kumar said at a press conference in New Delhi. He added that accusations of “vote theft” were baseless and stressed that neither the Election Commission nor the electorate would be intimidated by politically motivated claims.

Examples Cited

To counter the opposition’s charge, Kumar pointed to the Mahadevapura Assembly seat in Karnataka’s Bengaluru Central constituency. “In 2023, despite the same electoral system, the Congress won this seat. This itself disproves the charge of systemic manipulation,” he argued. Kumar further clarified that no complaints would be entertained on the draft Bihar voter list after September 1, noting that corrections were already being carried out within the prescribed timelines.

Rahul Gandhi’s Allegations

Earlier this month, Rahul Gandhi had alleged irregularities in the Bihar electoral rolls—including duplicate entries, voters registered under “house number zero,” and multiple voters listed at the same address. These claims, he argued, pointed to a pattern designed to benefit the ruling alliance. The Commission has since issued a detailed rebuttal to each of these points, calling them “inaccurate and misleading.”

Defending SIR in Bihar

The CEC also addressed criticism that the voter list revision in Bihar was being conducted hastily. Citing the Representation of the People Act, he clarified that such exercises are legally mandated before every election. He added that the process in Bihar had begun on June 24 and was largely completed by July 20, covering over seven crore voters. “This is not unprecedented. The last such revision in Bihar was carried out in 2003 during the monsoon, between July 14 and August 14,” Kumar noted.

A Battle of Credibility

While the INDIA bloc may lack the numbers to carry through impeachment, its move signals intent to raise political heat on the Election Commission. For now, Gyanesh Kumar has drawn a firm line, insisting that the Commission’s credibility remains intact despite opposition pressure.