New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) The Congress on Tuesday slammed the government for “hastily” appointing the new chief election commissioner, saying it undermines the spirit of the Constitution and free elections.
Congress leader Manickam Tagore said democracy deserves better after the government appointed Gyanesh Kumar as CEC.
“The Government’s hasty midnight appointment of the new CEC undermines the spirit of our Constitution and free elections. As LoP Rahul Gandhi rightly said, this should’ve waited for the SC hearing on February19,” Tagore said on X.
“Rushing it shows their intent to bypass scrutiny. Democracy deserves better,” he added.
Kumar was appointed as the next chief election commissioner on Monday. He is the first CEC to be appointed under a new law on the appointment of members of the Election Commission (EC).
His term will run till January 26, 2029, days before the EC is expected to announce the schedule of the next Lok Sabha election.
Soon after the appointment, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal said the hastily-taken decision shows that the government is keen on circumventing the Supreme Court’s scrutiny and getting the appointment done before a clear order kicks in.
The amended law dealing with the appointment of election commissioners has removed the chief justice of India (CJI) from the CEC selection panel and the government ought to have waited until the apex court’s hearing in the matter on Wednesday (February 19) before selecting the officer, he said.
“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.
“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. 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,” Venugopal said.
