On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi from the Congress party strongly disagreed with the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). He criticized the Modi government for “removing” the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the committee that selects the CEC. Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and part of that committee, stressed that it is important for the Election Commission to be independent and not influenced by the government.
He shared his thoughts online, saying that the way the CEC is chosen must be free from government pressure. He claimed that removing the CJI from the selection group goes against a Supreme Court order and damages the trust of millions of voters. As the Leader of the Opposition, he feels that it’s his duty to hold the government accountable for its actions and to honor the values laid down by the founders of India.
Gandhi stated, “By going against the Supreme Court order and leaving out the CJI, the Modi government has made many voters worried about the fairness of our elections.” He was upset with the Prime Minister (PM) and Home Minister (HM) for making a quick decision to select a new CEC right before an important court hearing.
The Congress party has also expressed their disapproval of the swift appointment of Gyanesh Kumar, calling it a “hasty midnight move” that goes against the Constitution and the idea of free elections. Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said the decision should have waited until the Supreme Court made its ruling, highlighting that the CEC should be impartial.
Even with these concerns, the government went ahead with appointing Gyanesh Kumar as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner. He is set to take office on February 19, 2025, after the current CEC Rajiv Kumar retires. The Supreme Court is expected to review the process of appointing the CEC on February 19, 2025.
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