New Delhi

The Congress on Wednesday said the Opposition will take a collective decision on whether to move an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for such a step.

Speaking to reporters in the Parliament House complex, Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal said the party was “positively” considering the proposal and that consultations were underway among Opposition parties.

“The Trinamool Congress has already contacted the Congress. I think the entire Opposition will take a call on the matter. This is one of the most relevant issues raised by the Trinamool, and we are positively looking at it,” Venugopal said.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, however, declined to comment on the issue when asked about Banerjee’s remarks.

Mamata Banerjee, who is in the national capital as part of her campaign against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, on Tuesday called for the impeachment of the CEC and sought support from other Opposition parties.

Her remarks came a day after she and her delegation walked out of a meeting with CEC Gyanesh Kumar and other election commissioners over the SIR exercise, alleging that the poll panel chief displayed arrogance and humiliated them during the interaction.

Addressing a press conference later, Banerjee, flanked by people from West Bengal whom she claimed were affected by the SIR process, alleged that voters whose names were being deleted from the rolls were supporters of the Trinamool Congress.

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The procedure for the removal of a Chief Election Commissioner is similar to that for a Supreme Court judge. An impeachment motion can be initiated in either House of Parliament and must be passed by a special majority — a majority of the total membership of the House and a two-thirds majority of members present and voting — on grounds of proven misbehaviour or incapacity.