Opposition parties under the INDIA bloc will hold a mock parliament session at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence on Friday to symbolically “impeach” chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, escalating their campaign accusing the election authority of undermining democratic safeguards.
The Congress last month announced plans to move a fresh impeachment motion against Kumar after the Indian Express’ report on objections raised by the two election commissioners on decisions related to the special intensive revision, but later decided to opt for political programmes and public outreach.
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar will preside over the mock parliament proceedings. It is not clear if someone will play the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or CEC Gyanesh Kumar. Under the law, the CEC can be removed by Parliament through a process similar to the impeachment of a Supreme Court judge. The CEC or an Election Commissioner may also resign by submitting a written resignation to the President. The programme is also likely to avoid any symbolic representation of the treasury benches.
The mock parliament sessions, conceived as a symbolic impeachment proceeding against Kumar, will take place at Kharge’s residence at 10, Rajaji Marg at 3.30 pm. The Opposition said it was denied permission to hold the mock session at the Ashoka Hotel and subsequently at Ramlila Maidan where they have planned to hold a huge protest on November 1.
A senior Congress leader said they had originally planned to invite former Supreme Court judges and jurists to participate in the mock parliament, but at least five former judges refused to join the show. “All Opposition MPs, party leaders, eminent faces from the civil society, student leaders and some people whose names have been deleted in the SIR will attend the mock session,” said a senior Congress leader. Earlier reporting noted: INDIA bloc’s ‘public impeachment’ of CEC likely to avoid mocking Parliament New Delhi Earlier reporting noted: The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc’s planned “public impeachment” of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged electoral manipulation through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will avoid imagery that could be seen as mocking Parliament as an institution. Earlier reporting noted: Sources told The Hindu that there are unlikely to be any posters of the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and the CEC.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will deliver the final speech against Kumar.
The scripted session will see Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge move the resolution against Gyanesh Kumar before the proceedings are thrown open to other participants.
