NEW DELHI — The Rajya Sabha on Monday rejected a notice of motion submitted by the Opposition seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
The notice of motion, backed by 63 Members of Parliament, was not admitted by the Chairman after a detailed review under relevant constitutional and legal provisions.
A Rajya Sabha bulletin issued this evening stated that a notice dated March 12, 2026, signed by 63 Rajya Sabha members under Article 324(5) of the Constitution, read with Article 124(4), Section 11(2) of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, and the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, had been submitted to the Hon’ble Chairman.
“After due consideration of the notice of Motion and a careful and objective assessment of all relevant aspects and issues involved, the Hon’ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha, in exercise of the powers vested in him under Section 3 of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, has refused to admit the said notice of Motion,” the bulletin said.
The Opposition had accused Gyanesh Kumar of “partisan conduct” and “proved misbehaviour,” citing issues related to the revision of electoral rolls in certain states, alleged voter disenfranchisement, and lack of impartiality.
This was the first such impeachment-style notice moved against a Chief Election Commissioner in recent years, with a total of 193 MPs (130 from Lok Sabha and 63 from Rajya Sabha) initially supporting the effort.
The removal of a CEC follows a rigorous process similar to that of a Supreme Court judge, requiring a special majority in both Houses of Parliament.
The Chairman’s decision effectively halts the motion in the Rajya Sabha at this stage.
The development comes amid ongoing political debate over the functioning of the Election Commission of India.
While the Opposition has expressed strong disappointment, the government is expected to view the rejection as a validation of the CEC’s constitutional position.
Gyanesh Kumar, a former IAS officer, assumed the office of Chief Election Commissioner earlier this year.
The Rajya Sabha’s decision brings an immediate end to the procedural momentum of the removal motion in the Upper House. — IANS
