Rahul Gandhi's strong reaction to Gyanesh Kumar's appointment as new CEC: ‘I presented dissent note to PM Modi’
Rahul Gandhi criticised the Modi government's appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as Chief Election Commissioner.
Rahul Gandhi of the Congress on Tuesday expressed strong dissent regarding the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as the new Chief Election Commissioner. Rahul Gandhi criticised the Narendra Modi government's decision to "remove" the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee.
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, who is part of the committee, emphasised that an independent election commission, free from executive interference, is fundamental to the integrity of India's electoral process.
“During the meeting of the committee to select the next Election Commissioner, I presented a dissent note to the PM and HM, that stated: The most fundamental aspect of an independent Election Commission free from executive interference is the process of choosing the Election Commissioner and Chief Election Commissioner,” Rahul Gandhi posted on X.
Also Read | Who is Gyanesh Kumar, the new chief election commissioner?
According to Rahul Gandhi, the decision to exclude the CJI from the selection committee violates a Supreme Court order and undermines the trust of millions of voters. He highlighted his responsibility, as the Leader of the Opposition, to uphold the ideals of India's founding leaders and hold the government accountable.
"By violating the Supreme Court order and removing the Chief Justice of India from the committee, the Modi Government has exacerbated the concerns of hundreds of millions of voters over the integrity of our electoral process.
“As the LoP it is my duty to uphold the ideals of Babasaheb Ambedkar and the founding leaders of our nation and hold the government to account,” the Congress MP posted.
“It is both disrespectful and discourteous for the PM and HM to have made a midnight decision to select the new CEC, when the very composition of the committee and the process is being challenged in the Supreme Court and is due to be heard in less than forty-eight hours,” he added
The Congress party has also condemned the government's swift appointment of Gyanesh Kumar, describing it as a "hasty midnight move" that undermines the spirit of the Constitution and free elections.
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said the decision should have been postponed until the Supreme Court ruled on the matter, emphasising that the electoral process must have sanctity and that the CEC must be an impartial stakeholder.
Despite the objections, the government proceeded with the appointment, finalising Gyanesh Kumar's position as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner, the Congress claimed. This decision comes just before the Supreme Court is set to hear a plea challenging the selection process and the composition of the committee responsible for appointing election commissioners.
The controversy centres around the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, which established a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and a Union cabinet minister nominated by the Prime Minister. This composition has been challenged in the Supreme Court, with critics arguing that it grants the government undue influence over the Election Commission.
Gyanesh Kumar, a retired Indian administrative service officer from the Kerala cadre, previously served as the cooperation secretary of India and has held various significant positions within the government. His appointment as CEC is set to take effect on February 19, 2025, following the retirement of Rajiv Kumar.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear the challenge to the appointment process on February 19, 2025.
