Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has said the Opposition is preparing articles of impeachment against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and will pursue his removal if he does not resign, alleging irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
In an exclusive interview with India Today TV, Tharoor argued that Kumar enjoyed legal immunity under a 2023 law but did not have constitutional protection from removal. He said the Opposition wanted the SIR exercise suspended, allegedly deleted voters reinstated and the software used for the revision reviewed.
Referring to Section 16 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, Tharoor said the provision granted immunity from civil and criminal proceedings for acts connected with official duties. The provision has been challenged in the Supreme Court, which issued notices to the Centre and the Election Commission in January but declined to stay it.
Tharoor called on Kumar to step down on moral grounds, arguing that the Opposition's loss of confidence in the poll panel chief raised questions about the credibility of elections.
The Congress leader also questioned the process of deleting names from electoral rolls, alleging that the system placed an unfair burden on voters to prove their eligibility. He cited reported discrepancies in Goa and raised concerns over notices issued to voters whose details had been flagged.
Tharoor clarified that the Opposition was not against removing the names of deceased or relocated voters but objected to the speed of deletions and delays in appeals.
He also criticised the de-notification of Jantar Mantar as a protest site, arguing that alternative venues such as Burari and Ramlila Maidan were less accessible to demonstrators seeking to reach authorities.
Tharoor said the Opposition's immediate objective was to ensure a fair and impartial Election Commission, adding that it would accept the electoral verdict if elections were conducted freely and fairly.
