In a historic first for the world’s largest democracy, opposition parties are gearing up to move a motion in Parliament seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. The target of this unprecedented move is the current CEC, Gyanesh Kumar, who has been accused by the INDIA bloc of partisan conduct and overseeing irregularities in the electoral roll revision process.

The move, spearheaded by the Trinamool Congress and backed by the Indian National Congress and other allies, stems from the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in states like West Bengal and Bihar. Opposition leaders allege that millions of names have been arbitrarily deleted to influence upcoming elections. Reports confirm that as many as 180 Members of Parliament from both Houses have already signed the notice for the impeachment motion.

Under Article 324(5) of the Indian Constitution, the removal of a CEC is an arduous process, identical to that of a Supreme Court judge. It requires the motion to be passed by a special two-thirds majority in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. While the ruling NDA coalition holds a numerical advantage, the opposition’s strategy aims to highlight institutional bias and spark a national debate on the independence of the poll body. This high-stakes political maneuver comes at a critical juncture, just as the nation prepares for several key state assembly elections.