“Against The Spirit Of The Constitution”: Congress On New CEC Appointment

New Delhi, 17 February 2025: The appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as India’s new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) has drawn sharp criticism from the Congress, with party General Secretary KC Venugopal calling it a move that “goes against the spirit of our Constitution.”

“In a hasty midnight move, the Government has notified the appointment of the new Chief Election Commissioner,” Venugopal stated. “This goes against what has been reiterated by the Supreme Court in many cases—that for the electoral process to have sanctity, the CEC must be an impartial stakeholder.”

The controversy stems from recent amendments to the selection process, which removed the Chief Justice of India from the panel responsible for appointing the CEC. The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition challenging this change on 19th February, the same day Kumar’s appointment takes effect.

“The government ought to have waited until the Supreme Court’s hearing before selecting the CEC,” Venugopal argued. “Their decision to hastily hold the meeting today and appoint the new EC shows they are keen to circumvent the Supreme Court’s scrutiny and get the appointment done before a clear order kicks in.”

Congress has also raised concerns over the broader implications of such appointments on India’s electoral system. “Such egregious behaviour only confirms the doubts that many have expressed about how the ruling regime is destroying the electoral process and bending the rules for its benefit,” Venugopal said.

The party has accused the government of manipulating electoral processes, including voter lists and scheduling, in a manner that allegedly favours the BJP. “Be it fake voter lists, schedules favouring the BJP, or concerns around EVM hacking—the government and the CECs it appoints are subject to deep suspicion because of such incidents,” he remarked.

Venugopal also echoed the sentiments of the Leader of Opposition, stating that the appointment should have been put on hold until the Supreme Court had a chance to weigh in. “As the LOP rightly pointed out, this decision should have been kept aside until the Supreme Court decides the issue in line with the Constitution,” he said.

The government has yet to respond to the Congress’s allegations.

Vivek Joshi, IAS was appointed as Election Commissioner.