New Delhi, February 18: Rahul Gandhi has strongly criticized the Narendra Modi-led government's decision to appoint Gyanesh Kumar as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), condemning the exclusion of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the selection committee. The Congress leader argued that this move undermines the autonomy of the Election Commission and violates a Supreme Court ruling.
On Monday, President Droupadi Murmu appointed Gyanesh Kumar as CEC and Haryana Chief Secretary Dr. Vivek Joshi as Election Commissioner, following a high-level committee meeting led by Prime Minister Modi. Ahead of the decision, Rahul Gandhi called for a delay in the appointment, pointing to an upcoming Supreme Court hearing on the legality of the revised selection process.
The Congress party has insisted that the appointment of the new CEC before the Supreme Court’s hearing scheduled for February 19, 2025, disrespects democratic institutions. Rahul Gandhi urged the government to postpone the process, stating that moving forward with the selection at this juncture would be “discourteous” and could jeopardize the integrity of the electoral system.
In his dissent note, Rahul Gandhi highlighted the Supreme Court’s ruling on March 2, 2023, which mandated that the CEC and Election Commissioners be appointed by a committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India. This ruling, according to Gandhi, reflected concerns over the credibility of the electoral process and the trust of millions of voters. He pointed out that the government had introduced a new law in August 2023, which altered the committee’s composition by removing the Chief Justice and replacing them with a Union Cabinet Minister appointed by the Prime Minister. Gandhi argued that this change was in clear violation of the Supreme Court's ruling.
He further noted, “The government's order was challenged by a public interest litigant, and the Supreme Court is set to review the matter on February 19, 2025. With the hearing so imminent, it is the Congress party’s position that the appointment process be postponed until the Court’s decision. Continuing with the selection now would be disrespectful to both the institutions and the founders of our nation.”
