Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of committing “treason against the nation and the Constitution” during a symbolic public impeachment programme organised by the INDIA bloc on Saturday. Kharge levelled six allegations against the Election Commission chief, accusing him of facilitating electoral manipulation and undermining the independence of the constitutional institution responsible for conducting elections. The event was held as a mock parliamentary exercise at Kharge's residence in the national capital, bringing together leaders from several opposition parties. The proceedings were intended to highlight the opposition's concerns about the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and its handling of electoral rolls.

Among the principal allegations, Kharge accused Kumar of conspiring to manipulate elections and enabling the deletion of approximately 13.2 crore voters through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He described the exercise as partisan and opaque, arguing that the removal of names without adequate safeguards could affect citizens' constitutional right to vote. The Congress leader also questioned the manner in which the revision was conducted, alleging that voters were being removed through computerised processes without sufficient transparency or effective opportunities to challenge the decisions. These claims formed part of the opposition's wider criticism of the voter-list revision exercise in several states. The Election Commission's handling of the process has become a major point of confrontation between the opposition and the poll body.

Kharge's second set of allegations concerned changes to Form 6 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, which is used by individuals seeking to register as voters. He accused the CEC of changing the form without parliamentary oversight and claimed that the modifications made it more difficult for eligible first-time voters to enrol. He also alleged that control over electoral rolls had been centralised through the ERONET and ECINET software systems, creating the possibility of unauthorised deletions and preventing legitimate additions. The opposition argued that electoral information should be managed through transparent procedures that allow voters and political parties to verify changes and raise objections. Kharge said the alleged changes had weakened confidence in the electoral registration process.

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The Congress president further accused Kumar of sidelining the other two Election Commissioners from important decisions. According to Kharge, the commissioners had raised at least 14 objections on record, but their concerns were allegedly not given adequate consideration. He also claimed that the CEC had acted in favour of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), denied opposition leaders a fair hearing and compromised the Election Commission's constitutional independence. Another allegation involved claims that members of Kumar's family had received benefits, including important postings and opportunities for financial gains, in return for his alleged compliance with the ruling establishment. These were allegations made by Kharge during the opposition programme and had not been established as findings by a court or an independent inquiry.

The six charges presented by Kharge included conspiring to steal elections, deleting 13.2 crore voters, changing Form 6 without parliamentary approval, centralising control over electoral rolls, excluding the other Election Commissioners from decision-making and acting at the behest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The INDIA bloc has maintained that its campaign is aimed at securing accountability from the Election Commission rather than targeting an individual. Opposition leaders have also argued that the credibility of the electoral process depends on the poll body's ability to function independently and address complaints from political parties and voters. The CEC's constitutional position and the procedures governing his removal have also featured prominently in the dispute.

The symbolic impeachment programme was part of the opposition's broader campaign against the SIR exercise and alleged irregularities in electoral rolls. Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar presided over the proceedings, while several INDIA bloc leaders and representatives of civil society participated. The alliance has demanded Kumar's resignation, an immediate halt to the SIR process and restoration of names it claims were unlawfully removed from voter lists. It has also called for elections to be conducted using paper ballots instead of electronic voting machines. The opposition plans to continue its campaign with a November 1 rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan under the slogan 'Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao'. The public impeachment exercise remains symbolic and does not constitute a formal parliamentary impeachment or removal proceeding.

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