The Lok Sabha was on Thursday adjourned within minutes of Speaker Om Birla returning to preside over proceedings, a day after a motion by the opposition to remove him was defeated.
At 11 AM, Birla was welcomed by treasury bench members with Jai Shri Ram slogans. Opposition members, however, continued sloganeering. Birla insisted that Question Hour be allowed, but the protests continued. Birla adjourned the house till noon.
Meanwhile, Opposition parties have collected signatures for a notice seeking a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on the ground of “partisan and discriminatory conduct in office” news agency PTI said.
The notice is likely to be submitted to both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in a day or two, the agency said, quoting sources. The Budget Session of Parliament resumed this week and is scheduled to run until 2 April.
This comes a day after a motion to remove Lok Sabha speaker, Om Birla, was defeated after a several-hour-long debate on the resolution by the Opposition in the lower house.
On March 10, TMC MP Saugata Roy announced the party’s plans to move an impeachment motion against CEC Gyanesh Kumar, alleging serious irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
“We shall bring an impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner as per Article 324 of the Constitution. We have many, many complaints about him. The way the SIR has been handled, the way people have lost their lives because of the SIR, and the way the (voter) list has been published – it must be exposed. That is why, after the no-confidence motion (against the Speaker), we are hoping that our impeachment or removal resolution will go through,” Roy said.
The PTI report on Thursday said that at least seven charges are listed against the CEC in the notice and they range from “partisan and discriminatory conduct in office” to “deliberate obstruction of investigation of electoral fraud” and “mass disenfranchisement” among others.
A senior MP familiar with the developments said they have finished collecting signatures, and the notices are more likely to be submitted on Thursday.
Around 120 MPs have so far signed the notice to be submitted in the Lok Sabha and around 60 MPs have signed the notice to be submitted in the Upper House, the news agency said.
According to rules, at least 100 MPs must sign a notice seeking the removal of the CEC in the Lok Sabha and the required strength in the Rajya Sabha is 50.
The notice has been signed by members from all INDIA bloc parties, the sources added. MPs from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is no longer officially part of the bloc, have also signed the notice, another source said.
This is the first time a notice has been given seeking the removal of the CEC.
Opposition parties have accused the CEC of aiding the ruling BJP on several occasions, especially over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which they have alleged is aimed at helping the ruling party at the Centre.
Concerns have especially been expressed over the conduct of the exercise in West Bengal, with Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accusing the poll panel of deleting genuine voters.
What is the process to remove CEC?
The process for removing the CEC is similar to that for the removal of a Supreme Court or high court judge and only grounds of proven misbehaviour or incapacity can lead to impeachment.
A motion for removal may be introduced in either House of Parliament and must be passed by a special majority — a majority of the total membership of the House and a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting.
According to the law on the appointment of CEC and election commissioners, “CEC shall not be removed from his office except in the like manner and on the like grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court”, and the other election commissioners shall not be removed from office “except on the recommendation of the CEC”.
According to the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, if the notices for the motion are given on the same day in both Houses of Parliament, no committee shall be constituted unless the motion has been admitted in both Houses. After the motion has been admitted in both Houses, a committee shall be constituted jointly by the Speaker and the Chairman.
Birla to addess house today
Speaker Om Birla will address the Lok Sabha today, a day after a motion seeking his removal was dismissed by the house.
The no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition parties against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was dismissed by voice vote on Wednesday, 11 March.
Amid protests and sloganeering by the opposition seeking an apology from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Jagdambika Pal, who was in the chair, announced that the no-confidence motion was defeated.
The way the SIR has been handled, the way people have lost their lives because of the SIR, and the way the (voter) list has been published – it must be exposed.
Pal urged the opposition to take their seats so that he could put the motion to a vote. But as the protests continued, he sought a vote in the House, and the resolution was rejected by a voice vote; following that, he adjourned the House for the day.
The no-confidence resolution against Birla was given by several opposition leaders who alleged that he had acted in a “blatantly partisan” manner in the House.
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