Rahul Gandhi Critiques Government's Decision on CEC Appointment
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Synopsis
On February 18, 2023, Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, criticized the government's late-night appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as Chief Election Commissioner, deeming it disrespectful and highlighting concerns over the integrity of the electoral process.
Key Takeaways
- Rahul Gandhi criticized the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as CEC.
- The appointment was made amidst ongoing judicial review.
- The Supreme Court had previously ordered a transparent selection process.
- Gandhi's dissent highlights concerns over executive interference.
- Proposed deferral of appointment until after Supreme Court hearing.
New Delhi, Feb 18 (NationPress) The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has sharply condemned the government's decision to appoint Gyanesh Kumar as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) during a late-night session.
Kumar, a retired IAS official from the Kerala cadre, takes over from Rajiv Kumar, who recently retired.
LoP Rahul Gandhi raised concerns regarding the haste of the appointment, emphasizing that the composition of the selection committee is currently under judicial scrutiny.
“By disregarding the Supreme Court ruling and excluding the Chief Justice of India from the committee, the Modi Government has intensified the worries of countless voters about the integrity of our electoral system,” Rahul Gandhi remarked in a post on X.
Participating in the selection meeting, LoP Gandhi submitted a dissent note to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, asserting that an independent Election Commission is contingent on a transparent selection process devoid of executive interference.
“As the LoP, it is my responsibility to uphold the principles of Babasaheb Ambedkar and our nation's founding leaders, while holding the government accountable. It is both disrespectful and inconsiderate for the PM and HM to make a midnight decision to appoint the new CEC while the committee's composition and process are being contested in the Supreme Court, which is set to review it in less than forty-eight hours,” he noted in his dissent.
“During the committee meeting for selecting the next Election Commissioner, I presented a dissent note to the PM and HM, stating: The essence of an independent Election Commission, free from executive influence, lies in the procedure for appointing the Election Commissioner and Chief Election Commissioner,” LoP Gandhi explained.
In his dissent note, Rahul Gandhi remarked, “While addressing the Constituent Assembly in June 1949 to deliberate on the establishment of an independent Election Commission, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar cautioned against executive meddling in India’s democracy and the workings of the Election Commission.
“The fundamental aspect of an independent Election Commission, free from executive interference, is the selection process for the Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner. A ruling on March 2, 2023, by the Constitutional Bench of the Hon'ble Supreme Court mandated that the appointment of the CEC and Election Commissioners should be conducted by a committee comprising the Hon. Prime Minister, Hon. Leader of Opposition, and Hon. Chief Justice of India.
“The Supreme Court ruling mirrored the broader concerns of millions of voters regarding the integrity of our electoral framework. This sentiment is also apparent in public surveys indicating a continuing decline in voter trust in India’s electoral process and its institutions.
“Regrettably, shortly after the Supreme Court directive, the Government of India enacted legislation in August 2023 that undermined both the letter and spirit of the Supreme Court’s ruling. The government legislation restructured the committee in charge of appointing the CEC and Election Commissioners to include the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition, and a Union Cabinet Minister appointed by the Prime Minister, thereby excluding the Chief Justice from the committee. This constitutes a blatant violation of the Supreme Court's instruction.”
He continued, “This government order was subsequently contested by a public interest litigant. The Supreme Court has expressed its intention to address this issue on February 19, 2025, which is less than forty-eight hours away.”
“Consequently, the Congress party believes that the selection process for the next CEC should be delayed until the Supreme Court has its hearing, and this meeting should be postponed. It will be both disrespectful and inconsiderate to the institutions and the founding leaders of our nation for this committee to proceed with the appointment process when the very structure of the committee and the procedure are under challenge and are set to be reviewed by the Hon. Supreme Court,” Rahul Gandhi concluded in his dissent note.
