'People's Impeachment', Not Mock Parliament: Opposition Tweaks Protest Plan

The INDIA Alliance's plan to hold a "Mock Parliament" - part of their continued campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar - has been given a new name and a fresh angle. Congress leaders told NDTV that they wish to steer clear of any action that could be construed as contempt of Parliament. So Friday's event - which will be held at the house of Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge -- has been converted to a "People's Impeachment (Jan Mahabhiyog)", during which a motion for impeachment will be brought against the Chief Election Commissioner. 

The key question now is how this "People's Impeachment" will be conducted and what the procedure will entail. 

Leaders of the INDIA alliance held a meeting today to discuss the matter. It was attended by former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, Congress's Priyanka Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh, Nasir Hussain, Manickam Tagore, and Pawan Khera. Also present were Trinamool Congress's Derek O'Brien, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's Mahua Maji, and Samajwadi Party's Harendra Malik.

Initially, the plan was to model it on parliamentary proceedings, with the government and opposition facing each other and holding a debate in presence of a presiding officer.

This has now been changed. 

The responsibility for conducting this "People's Impeachment" has been entrusted to former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who will be assisted by a Samajwadi Party MP whose name is yet to be finalised, sources said.

The proceedings will begin at 3 pm and continue till 7.30 pm. 

The arguments for the 'People's Impeachment' will be initiated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, and concluded by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. 

Leaders from 19 political parties will speak, with an allotted time of 5 minutes each. The Samajwadi Party and the Trinamool Congress, however, have been granted 10 minutes each.

Individuals whose names have been removed from the electoral rolls will also be given an opportunity to speak. Three members of the civil society will also be among the speakers.

Altogether, there will be around 30 speakers. 

The focus will be the removal of names from the electoral rolls - a process conducted by the poll panel that has affected 13.5 crore voters. The Congress claims the figure now is 16.5 crore. 

The Congress and all the INDIA bloc parties will broadcast the 'People's Impeachment' live on their YouTube channels and other social media platforms. The event will conclude with the national anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana'.