‘Why Are You Troubling MPs?’: Kiren Rijiju Hits Back At Jairam Ramesh After 73 Opposition MPs Sign Notice To Remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar

New Delhi: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju launched a scathing attack on the Congress after Opposition parties made a second attempt to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Responding sharply to the move, Kiren Rijiju accused the Congress of misusing parliamentary privilege to pressure constitutional authorities. In a pointed post on X, he asked senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, “Why are you troubling Hon'ble MPs?”

The political temperature rose in Parliament on Friday after 73 Opposition Rajya Sabha members submitted a new notice to the Upper House secretariat seeking the removal of CEC Gyanesh Kumar. The development reignited the ongoing confrontation between the government and the Opposition over the functioning of constitutional bodies.  

Rijiju underlined that India’s democratic strength rests on its independent judiciary, credible constitutional institutions and a vibrant political system, adding that such authorities “will not be allowed to be intimidated by abusing the position of privilege.”  

Opposition Alleges ‘Proven Misbehaviour’ By CEC  

Earlier in the day, Jairam Ramesh announced that 73 Opposition MPs had signed a fresh Notice of Motion addressed to the President of India, praying for Gyanesh Kumar’s removal. He said the motion was moved under Article 324(5) read with Article 124(4) of the Constitution, together with Section 11(2) of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, and the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.  

According to the senior Congress leader, the notice details nine specific charges against the CEC, all relating to “acts and omissions committed on and after 15 March 2026”. He claimed these charges “cannot be denied or whitewashed away” and asserted that Kumar’s continuation in office amounted to “an assault on the Constitution”.  

In unusually strong language, the Congress leader added, “It is an absolute disgrace that the man continues to be in office to do the bidding of the PM and HM.”  

Second Attempt To Initiate Removal Proceedings  

Notably, the fresh notice is not the first attempt by the Opposition to initiate action against the CEC. A similar notice had been submitted in March, invoking the same constitutional and statutory provisions, and was sent to the Lok Sabha Speaker. Meanwhile, Friday’s move marks a renewed push, this time through the Rajya Sabha.  

The government, meanwhile, has maintained that constitutional functionaries operate independently and cannot be subjected to political pressure. Rijiju’s remarks sought to frame the Opposition’s notice as an overreach that undermines institutional credibility.  

Meanwhile, the standoff adds another layer to the already strained relationship between the ruling dispensation and Opposition parties ahead of a packed parliamentary calendar. With 73 MPs backing the motion, the issue is expected to dominate proceedings in the coming days, even as questions of procedure and admissibility remain to be settled by the Chair.