Opposition’s notice seeking removal of Chief Election Commissioner still unacknowledged: Derek O’Brien

Nearly two weeks after 193 parliamentarians from the Opposition submitted notices in both Houses seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, the matter has not been acknowledged on the floor of Parliament in an omission that reflects a tacit understanding between the government and the Election Commission, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien said on Friday (March 27, 2026).

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The notices, submitted on March 12, were signed by 130 Lok Sabha MPs and 63 Rajya Sabha MPs. The 10-page document accuses the CEC of being “subservient” to the executive, and of the “wilful and deliberate abuse of the powers and position of a constitutional office”, among other charges.

“Is there a tacit understanding between this government and the CEC?” Mr. O’Brien asked, noting that the Secretariat of both Houses have not flagged any deficiencies in the notices. With the Budget Session scheduled to conclude on April 2, he said the government was making a “mockery of Parliament” by not even acknowledging a legitimate parliamentary move.

He added that the government has repeatedly undermined parliamentary norms during the ongoing session. Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks on West Asia, Mr. O’Brien said, “The PM held ‘mann ki baat’ in both Houses. He refused to answer any of our questions. Instead of discussing the issue on the floor of Parliament, the government called an all-party meeting.” Such an approach, he said, “is a way to escape accountability”.

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Mr. O’Brien further criticised the government for not referring several contentious Bills, including the Transgender Bill 2026, the Foreign Contribution Regulation Bill 2026, and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF–General Administration) Bill, to parliamentary committees for scrutiny despite strong demands from the Opposition.