Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has strongly criticised the central government’s late-night decision to appoint Gyanesh Kumar as the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).
Calling the move a "violation of the Supreme Court order," Gandhi objected to the removal of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the selection committee, stating that it undermines the independence of the Election Commission.
Gandhi, who is part of the three-member selection panel alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, had opposed the appointment process, arguing that it should not proceed while a Supreme Court challenge regarding the selection law is pending. The court is set to hear the case this week.
He shared his dissent note publicly on X (formerly Twitter), expressing concerns about executive interference in the electoral process. “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,” he wrote.
Gandhi further criticised the government’s approach, stating, “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.”
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Despite his objections, sources indicated that the government was determined to move forward, citing the need to avoid leaving the key post vacant. Hours after the meeting, Gyanesh Kumar was officially appointed as the new CEC, replacing Rajiv Kumar.
Gandhi condemned the timing of the decision, calling it "disrespectful and discourteous" to proceed with the selection when the matter is under judicial review.
“As the Leader of the Opposition, it is my duty to uphold the ideals of Babasaheb Ambedkar and the founding leaders of our nation and hold the government to account. 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 asserted.
The appointment has sparked a fresh political controversy, with the opposition accusing the government of attempting to exert control over the country’s electoral machinery.
Also Read: Congress slams new CEC appointment
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