‘People’s Impeachment Notice’ Issued Against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

A group of former civil servants and civil-society representatives has issued a “People’s Impeachment Notice” against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The delegation included former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, former Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai, former Union secretary Amitabha Pandey and activist Yogendra Yadav. The notice lists six allegations against Kumar and calls for his resignation or removal from office.

The delegation said it was stopped by Delhi Police while attempting to reach the Election Commission office to serve the notice on Kumar. It subsequently released the document at the Press Club of India. The six allegations include undermining the Election Commission’s collective functioning, unauthorised changes to Form 6, centralisation of electoral-roll administration, alleged mass disenfranchisement through the SIR process, alleged political partisanship and breach of statutory duties. These are allegations made by the group and do not constitute findings by a court or statutory authority.