Disrespectful, Discourteous Midnight Decision: Rahul Gandhi On New CEC Appointment

New Delhi, February 17, 2025: The appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) has sparked strong criticism from the Congress, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi calling it a “disrespectful and discourteous” move.

Gandhi, who participated in the selection committee meeting, presented a dissent note to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He stated that the government’s decision to appoint the new CEC before the Supreme Court’s hearing on 19th February undermines the integrity of the electoral process.

“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 wrote in his dissent note. “By violating the Supreme Court order and removing the Chief Justice of India from the committee, the Modi government has exacerbated concerns among hundreds of millions of voters over the integrity of our electoral process.”

He further argued that the government should have waited for the Supreme Court’s verdict before proceeding with the appointment. “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,” Gandhi said.

The controversy stems from the government’s 2023 amendment to the selection process, which replaced the Chief Justice of India with a Union Cabinet Minister appointed by the Prime Minister. The move, Gandhi contends, is in direct violation of a March 2023 Supreme Court judgment, which mandated that the CEC be appointed by a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India.

“This government legislation bypassed the spirit and letter of the Supreme Court’s order,” Gandhi wrote. “The Supreme Court has indicated its intention to take up this matter on 19th February 2025, less than forty-eight hours away. The process of choosing the next CEC should have been deferred until the hearing.”

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal also slammed the government’s decision, calling it a “hasty midnight move” that violates constitutional principles. “For the electoral process to have sanctity, the CEC must be an impartial stakeholder,” Venugopal said. “Their decision to hastily hold the meeting and appoint the new EC shows they are keen to circumvent Supreme Court scrutiny and get the appointment done before a clear order kicks in.”

Venugopal also accused the government of manipulating the electoral process. “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,” he said. “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.”

The government has yet to respond to the allegations, but with the Supreme Court hearing just days away, the political storm surrounding Kumar’s appointment is expected to escalate.