Hasty Midnight Appointment Of Gyanesh Kumar As CEC Disrespectful, Says Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Expressing strong dissent regarding the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as the new Chief Election Commissioner, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said the ‘hasty midnight decision’ of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to make the appointment was ‘disrespectful’ and ‘discourteous.’

Gandhi also criticised the Narendra Modi government’s decision to “remove” the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee, adding that such a decision violates a Supreme Court order and undermines the trust of millions of voters.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha is part of the committee as well. He 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,” Gandhi posted on X.

“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 further 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.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal also said the decision should have been postponed until the Supreme Court ruled on the matter. Despite the objections, the government proceeded with the appointment. Gyanesh Kumar’s was appointed as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner.

This decision comes ahead of the Supreme Court’s hearing of 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 top court. Critics have argued that this law 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. Kumar has held various significant positions within the government. His appointment as CEC is set to take effect on February 19, 2025.

The Supreme Court is also likely to hear the challenge to the appointment process on the same day, reported the India Today.