The escalating political confrontation in India took a dramatic turn on August 18, 2025, as the opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc announced its decision to submit a notice for the impeachment of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. This unprecedented move follows intensifying allegations of voter fraud surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and a contentious “vote chori” (vote theft) row that has dominated headlines and ignited protests across several states.
Also read: Bihar’s E-Voting: Innovation or Democratic Gamble?
The Allegations and Trigger
The crux of the opposition’s grievances centers on claims by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and others, who accuse the Election Commission of manipulating voter lists to benefit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Gandhi’s allegations include duplicate entries, phantom addresses such as “house number zero,” and unusually high numbers of registered voters in small dwellings, especially in constituencies in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Haryana. He specifically cited 100,250 “stolen” votes in Bangalore Central’s Mahadevapura assembly segment as a tipping point that purportedly changed the outcome in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The Election Commission, led by Gyanesh Kumar, has vigorously denied all charges, insisting that the process for Special Intensive Revision is transparent and legally sound. Kumar challenged Gandhi and the opposition to provide legally sworn affidavits as proof or otherwise apologize for their remarks, warning that failure to do so would render the allegations baseless.
Constitutional Hurdles in The Impeachment Process
The opposition’s strategic calculation is to leverage every democratic tool available, including the rarely used impeachment motion, but the challenge is a steep one. The process for impeaching the Chief Election Commissioner is constitutionally rigorous, mirroring that for a Supreme Court judge. The CEC can only be removed by the President, and solely if both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha pass a resolution by a special two-thirds majority, based on “proved misbehaviour or incapacity.” This high threshold exists to ensure the independence of the election body from political pressures.
The I.N.D.I.A. bloc’s move comes after a meeting of its floor leaders, suggesting a highly coordinated effort. While symbolic, the impeachment motion faces steep odds: the ruling NDA still commands a comfortable majority in both Houses of Parliament, making it highly unlikely the opposition will muster the requisite votes.
Political Strategy and Ramifications
The opposition’s action goes beyond a legal gamble—it is a calculated political message aimed at turning a sharp spotlight on the neutrality of electoral institutions and galvanizing its base ahead of crucial state polls. The bloc sees the “vote chori” narrative as potent, tapping into contemporary anxieties about the integrity of Indian democracy.
While the government has called for restraint and accused the opposition of unnecessary disruptions, the I.N.D.I.A. bloc remains defiant. Protests such as the “Voter Adhikar Yatra,” covering thousands of kilometers across Bihar, amplify the movement, keeping the issue alive in the public discourse and pressuring the Election Commission for greater transparency.
In the parliamentary trenches, opposition leaders signal they will use every procedural and legal means to scrutinize the poll body and highlight alleged collusion with the ruling party. For its part, the Election Commission seeks to reassure citizens of its independence, underscoring the strict separation between draft electoral rolls and actual voting processes.
What’s Next?
As Parliament opens its monsoon session, the impeachment motion promises fractious debate, media attention, and sustained mobilization by opposition forces. While the procedural chances of ousting CEC Gyanesh Kumar remain slim, the strategy positions the opposition as the vigil of democratic norms and could have far-reaching effects on the credibility of future elections and governance.
Whether this gambit yields results in the legislative arena or shapes perceptions in the public square, the “vote chori” impeachment row marks a watershed in India’s political contestation—a test not only for the resilience of constitutional checks but also for the maturity of its democracy.
