New Delhi, March 11 (NationPress) The Congress party expressed its support on Wednesday for the Trinamool Congress’ initiative to file an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, citing significant irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in West Bengal.

This response followed Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy’s announcement regarding the party’s intention to initiate the impeachment under Article 324 of the Constitution, which defines the Election Commission's powers and functions.

"We are set to pursue an impeachment motion against the CEC in accordance with Article 324 of the Constitution. We possess numerous complaints regarding his conduct," Roy stated.

In light of this development, Congress leader Udit Raj remarked that the initiative was commendable and that the party had been voicing similar concerns for an extended period.

"This is indeed a positive move. We have been advocating for this issue for quite some time. When Rahul Gandhi pointed out the instances of vote deletions in Karnataka and raised alarms about suspected voter turnout manipulation in Maharashtra and Haryana, the Trinamool Congress did not stand by us then," he conveyed to IANS.

Udit Raj further mentioned that the Congress had previously organized a significant protest march against the SIR exercise in Bihar.

“At the time we launched a substantial yatra opposing the Special Intensive Revision in Bihar, the Trinamool Congress chose not to support us. Nonetheless, we are ready to back the TMC now,” he stated to IANS.

Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat also criticized the operational integrity of constitutional bodies, claiming that governmental agencies are frequently wielded against opposition factions.

"The CEC's demeanor towards opposition parties has appeared retaliatory on several occasions, particularly in relation to the ED and other agencies. The execution of the Special Intensive Revision in both Bihar and West Bengal raises substantial doubts," Bhagat articulated.

He additionally asserted that such initiatives are being manipulated as political instruments.

"It appears that the BJP and the administration led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi have weaponized these processes for political gain. The narrative of infiltrators has also been evident in Bihar," he continued.

Bhagat acknowledged that while the current initiative is reportedly spearheaded by the Trinamool, Rahul Gandhi has long been questioning the neutrality of the Election Commission.

Independent MP Pappu Yadav from Purnia also endorsed the call for action against the Chief Election Commissioner.

"Gyanesh Kumar seems to operate more like a political figure than an impartial authority. Currently, it appears that the Election Commission is lacking in independence. An impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner is necessary," he declared.

In response to the opposition's initiative, BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi remarked that opposition parties ought to concentrate on participating in elections rather than contesting the Election Commission.

"Whether it is the Trinamool Congress or any other party, rather than engaging in conflict with the Election Commission, they should redirect their efforts towards electoral contests," he stated.

Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar added: "First, let them propose it—currently, they lack the requisite numbers. Most importantly, they are questioning the Election Commission while the matter is still under judicial review. The Supreme Court is overseeing the entire situation, and just yesterday, the Supreme Court clarified that you cannot challenge a judicial officer..."

Opposition MPs are anticipated to begin gathering signatures from members of both Houses of Parliament to formally present the motion. According to parliamentary procedure, a minimum of 100 MPs from the Lok Sabha and 50 MPs from the Rajya Sabha must endorse the notice for it to be considered.

The removal process for the Chief Election Commissioner parallels the procedure for removing a judge from the Supreme Court or a High Court. Under the existing legislation governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, the CEC can only be dismissed on grounds of established misconduct or incapacity.