New Delhi : Amid the ongoing protests over the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the clamour for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said Thursday that the due process would be followed once a motion was moved.
The opposition INDIA bloc and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) have been seeking the rollback of the SIR and the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
“We will follow the process when the motion is moved. The process has been laid down for the CEC too, just as it has been for the judges. It will be followed if the opposition moves a motion”, Birla said.
Pertinent to note that the CEC of India can only be removed by two methods: 1. Through a specialized parliamentary impeachment process identical to that of a Supreme Court judge, and 2. If he resigns voluntarily by submitting a resignation letter to the President of India.
The opposition INDIA bloc has called for a mega rally on November 1 at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi to push for its demands concerning the Special Intensive Revision.
However, it remains unclear whether the CJP will be invited to join the agitation.
The opposition, including the Congress, has alleged what it calls “vote theft” by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under the slogan “Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao (Save your vote, save the country)”.
The BJP has opposed the ongoing protests over SIR, accusing the INDIA bloc of attempting to “grab power” by “spreading anarchy”.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Friday that the INDIA bloc was hatching “a conspiracy” to “grab power”.
“This fight is not for electoral reforms, not for SIR, not against Gyanesh Kumar, not for bright future of youth. It is a conspiracy to grab power. In democracy there is no license to spread anarchy and attack constitutional institutions,” Singh said.
Congress leader Pawan Khera, however, rejected the allegations and accused the BJP of treating criticism as an “anti-national” act.
“The BJP is not used to democracy when it is on the receiving end of it. When it has to face the heat of democracy, answer questions and confront protests, democracy suddenly begins to look like treason and anti-national activity to them,” he said.
