Impeachment motion against CEC: Opposition garners 193 MP signatures

The Opposition, led by the TMC, has collected 193 signatures from MPs to move an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Mahua Moitra confirmed the numbers, which exceed the constitutional requirement.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Friday announced that the Opposition has successfully collected 193 signatures from Members of Parliament, surpassing the requirement to move an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. TMC MP Mahua Moitra, while speaking to the reporters, said, "...Required numbers have been signed. I think we are giving it today. The required numbers we have got, I think 193, think 120 something from the Lok Sabha and the remainder from the Rajya Sabha. So we have got more than enough numbers."

Motion Details and Cross-Party Support

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) will move an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in both Houses of Parliament on Friday, sources said. The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed only through the same procedure and on the same grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court, as stated in Article 324(5) of the Constitution. The motion must be signed by 100 members in the Lok Sabha or 50 members in the Rajya Sabha.

Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee said that MPs from Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK, and NCP(SCP) have signed the motion. He said, "The decision to bring the impeachment motion was taken by our leader, Mamata Banerjee. We have brought the motion. We have signed it, the Samajwadi Party has signed, Congress has signed, Sharad Pawar's party has signed, DMK has signed, everyone has signed it."

Timeline of Preparations

On Thursday, Trinamool MP Saugata Roy told ANI that the party is preparing an impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner. He said, "We are preparing an impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner. More than 100 MPs are supporting us. We might submit it today. The Opposition will be seen united on this."

Earlier, on Wednesday, more than 100 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha signed the motion of impeachment against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, sources in the Trinamool Congress said. According to TMC sources, the motion will be submitted after the process is completed. "We're getting everyone to sign up for support (against TMC's impeachment motion against CEC Gyanesh Kumar). In a day or two, it will be confirmed when we will submit this," TMC MP Saugata Roy told reporters. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)