Arya News - Seeking to ramp up pressure over electoral controversies, opposition parties are organizing a mock parliamentary program at the Congress headquarters to challenge the CEC`s accountability, featuring prominent figures from across the alliance.
NEW DELHI – Leaders of the INDIA bloc on Thursday held a crucial meeting at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss preparations and strategy for a proposed ‘People’s Impeachment’ of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar ahead of the Opposition alliance’s November 1 rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan.
The meeting focused on the modalities of a public impeachment programme against Kumar, scheduled to be held on Friday at Kharge’s residence, with Opposition leaders deliberating on the presentation of charges against the CEC and the participation of alliance partners.
According to sources, former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar will preside over the public impeachment programme, while Kharge will move the public impeachment resolution against the Chief Election Commissioner. Representatives of the INDIA bloc constituents will subsequently put forward their respective positions, followed by the presentation of a chargesheet against Kumar.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi is expected to deliver the concluding address.
Among those who attended Thursday’s meeting were Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, MP Gaurav Gogoi, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Mahua Maji, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien, Samajwadi Party MP Harendra Malik, CPI(M) MP John Brittas, and Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Manickam Tagore, among others.
Sources said representatives of civil society and people allegedly affected by the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls are also likely to be invited to the programme.
The Opposition parties intend to project the exercise not as a replication of parliamentary proceedings but as a public platform to demand accountability from the Chief Election Commissioner over his functioning.
The proposed initiative is being organised ahead of the INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan, where the alliance is expected to intensify its campaign against the Election Commission over issues relating to electoral processes and the SIR exercise.
Speaking after the meeting, Congress leader Pawan Khera said preparations for the public impeachment initiative against Gyanesh Kumar were progressing well.
He said leaders of all INDIA bloc constituents had discussed the issue in detail and deliberated on various aspects of taking the programme forward.
Read More:
INDIA bloc plans mock impeachment of Gyanesh Kumar; Rahul Gandhi calls for mass march on November 1
Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi urges people to join November 1 Ramlila Maidan rally to ‘save democracy’
Diwali without customers: Janpath traders fear another hit from opposition leader Rahul Gandhi’s November 1 rally