Om Birla: fresh CEC impeachment notice will be examined; Delhi hosts BRICS MPs
By Meera IyerGovernance & Policy Editor, Peepals Bharat
Representative image: annmariephotography / Pixabay
Speaker Om Birla said on October 22, 2026, any fresh notice to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar will be examined by the rules, as he announced the BRICS Parliamentary Forum.
What Happened
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Thursday, October 22, 2026, that any fresh notice to remove Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar would be examined "under rules and procedures". He spoke at a press conference at Parliament House in New Delhi, where he also announced that India's Parliament will host the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum on October 26 and 27, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend. His remarks on the CEC came as opposition parties continued protests demanding the CEC's removal over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Key Facts
- Om Birla's words on a fresh notice: "If any fresh notice comes, we will see and examine it accordingly under rules and procedures."
- He said the process for removing a CEC is the same as that for removing a judge of the Supreme Court.
- In April 2026, the Rajya Sabha Chairman, C P Radhakrishnan, and the Lok Sabha Speaker refused to admit an earlier opposition notice of motion against the CEC.
- The BRICS Parliamentary Forum will be held on October 26 and 27 in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, New Delhi.
- Its theme is "Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development".
- Delegations from BRICS member countries and specially invited partner countries are expected; a meeting of delegation secretaries on October 25 will finalise the forum's joint statement.
- Topics listed include institutional resilience, ethical artificial intelligence, digital transformation, global governance reform and sustainable development.
Why It Matters
The Chief Election Commissioner heads the Election Commission of India, the body that runs national and state elections and keeps the voter rolls. Because the post is so important to democracy, the Constitution protects it strongly: a CEC can be removed only in the same way as a Supreme Court judge. That requires a motion supported by a large number of MPs, an inquiry into the charges, and then a vote passed by a special majority in both Houses of Parliament. The presiding officers, the Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman, first decide whether to admit such a notice at all.
The opposition's earlier notice did not get past that first step in April. Birla's statement does not say whether a new notice will be admitted; it only says that any notice will be handled by the same rules. For citizens, this means the dispute over the voter-roll revision continues mainly through public protests, while the parliamentary route depends on the presiding officers' decision and on numbers the opposition would need in both Houses.
The BRICS forum is a separate, diplomatic event. BRICS began as a group of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa and has since added more members. The parliamentary forum brings together MPs from these countries to discuss shared issues and agree a joint statement. Hosting it gives India a chance to put its views on AI rules, development and reform of global institutions before lawmakers from a large part of the world.
Impact
Short-term: Attention will be on whether the opposition files a new removal notice and how the presiding officers respond. In Delhi, the Samvidhan Sadan will host foreign delegations on October 26 and 27, with the prime minister due to attend.
Long-term: The handling of removal notices against constitutional officers sets precedents for how far Parliament can scrutinise bodies like the Election Commission. The BRICS forum's joint statement could shape how member parliaments approach issues such as AI regulation and digital governance.
Who is affected: Voters and political parties, who have a stake in trust in the Election Commission and the voter rolls; MPs of both the ruling side and the opposition; and India's diplomatic standing among BRICS countries.
Key Takeaway
Om Birla said any fresh notice to remove CEC Gyanesh Kumar will be examined under the rules, while announcing that Delhi will host BRICS lawmakers on October 26 and 27, 2026.
Questions and Answers
What did Om Birla say about the CEC impeachment?
On October 22, 2026, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that if a fresh notice to remove Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar comes, it will be examined under the rules and procedures, which are the same as those for removing a Supreme Court judge.
Was an earlier impeachment notice against the CEC rejected?
Yes. In April 2026, the Rajya Sabha Chairman and the Lok Sabha Speaker refused to admit an opposition notice of motion seeking the CEC's removal.
How is a Chief Election Commissioner removed in India?
A CEC can be removed only in the same way as a Supreme Court judge: a notice must be admitted by the presiding officer, the charges inquired into, and a motion passed by a special majority in both Houses of Parliament.
When and where is the BRICS Parliamentary Forum in 2026?
The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum will be held on October 26 and 27, 2026, in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, New Delhi. Its theme is "Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development".
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Meera Iyer, Governance & Policy EditorCovers Governance & Policy and more for Peepals Bharat. All stories by Meera Iyer
Golden Chariot luxury train returns October 24 with first Karnataka tour sold out
MP Board drops choice in 2-mark questions for Classes 9 to 12
Meera Iyer is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
