India opposition holds mock impeachment of poll chief

Indian opposition parties staged a symbolic impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi on Saturday to protest against a nationwide revision of voter lists.

The mock proceedings, held at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, had no constitutional or legal force. Opposition parties re-enacted a parliamentary session and accused the voter-roll revision of being manipulated to favour Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party.

The Election Commission says the revision is needed to ensure accurate voter lists. The commission and the BJP deny the opposition's allegations.

Kharge said the motion was intended to safeguard the dignity of a constitutional institution and make the Election Commission function impartially. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the opposition had resorted to the symbolic exercise because it had "nowhere else to go".

Under India's constitution, the chief election commissioner can be removed only through a parliamentary process requiring a special majority.

Home Minister Amit Shah said the BJP was ready to hold a special session of parliament to discuss the revision, but accused the opposition of refusing to let parliament function. The event came a day before a major opposition rally in Delhi backed by the Cockroach Janta Party, an online youth-led movement that also supports the campaign against the voter-roll revision.