More than 200 Members of Parliament have signed a notice seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner, triggering a rare constitutional move against the head of the country’s poll body. The motion targets Rajiv Kumar, who currently heads the Election Commission of India.

According to parliamentary sources, opposition MPs submitted the notice in the Rajya Sabha, accusing the Election Commission leadership of failing to maintain neutrality and transparency in the conduct of elections. The move comes amid escalating political tensions between the opposition and the ruling government over the functioning of key constitutional institutions.

Under India’s constitutional framework, the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner follows a process similar to that of a Supreme Court judge. The motion must first be admitted by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha or the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, after which it requires investigation and approval by both houses of Parliament with a special majority.

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Opposition leaders argued that the move was necessary to protect the independence and credibility of the electoral process. They said the large number of MPs backing the notice reflects growing concern among political parties about the conduct of the poll body in recent elections.

The government, however, has dismissed the allegations and defended the functioning of the Election Commission. Ruling party leaders said the institution continues to operate independently and warned that attempts to target constitutional authorities for political reasons could undermine democratic processes.

The Election Commission of India is responsible for conducting national and state elections, including parliamentary polls, assembly elections and presidential elections. Any attempt to remove a sitting Chief Election Commissioner is extremely rare and involves a lengthy constitutional procedure, making the outcome of the notice uncertain at this stage.

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