Former bureaucrats demand removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar

A contingent including a former Home Secretary of Delhi sought to lodge a formal complaint against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, claiming he has forfeited public trust through his tenure. The delegation, comprising retired bureaucrats and civil society representatives, arrived at the ECI headquarters with the intention of serving what they termed a 'public impeachment notice,' marking an unusual show of dissent against the country's top electoral official.

Police erected substantial barricades around the Election Commission office, preventing the group from approaching the building and presenting their concerns directly. The blockade underscored heightened security measures surrounding the electoral body, even as the delegation maintained its position that such restrictions exemplified the very governance concerns they sought to highlight.

The move represents rare public criticism of a Chief Election Commissioner by former government officials, individuals typically constrained by conventions of bureaucratic discretion. The activists and retired administrators cited various grievances regarding the electoral process and institutional functioning, though specific allegations were not immediately detailed.

The incident comes amid ongoing debates over electoral integrity and the autonomy of the Election Commission. Officials at the ECI did not immediately issue a statement responding to the delegation's attempted submission or acknowledging receipt of formal complaints, if any were subsequently filed through official channels.