Disrespectful for PM, HM to have made midnight decision to appoint new CEC: Rahul

Rahul Gandhi has condemned the government's late-night decision to appoint the new Chief Election Commissioner, calling it disrespectful and discourteous, especially as the process is under challenge in the Supreme Court.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said it is "disrespectful" and "discourteous" for the prime minister and home minister to have made a midnight decision to select the new CEC when the process of selection is being challenged in the Supreme Court.

The government late on Monday night appointed Gyanesh Kumar as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), hours after the meeting of the prime minister-led selection committee in which the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha asked the government to defer the meeting in view of the Supreme Court hearing in the matter.

Gandhi also presented a dissent note to the panel, of which Home Minister Amit Shah is also a member.

"During the meeting of the committee to select the next Election Commissioner, I presented a dissent note to the PM and HM, that stated: 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 said in post on X.

"By violating the Supreme Court order and removing the Chief Justice of India from the committee, the Modi Government has exacerbated the concerns of hundreds of millions of voters over the integrity of our electoral process," he also said in his post while sharing his dissent note.

Gandhi said as the Leader of Opposition, it is his duty to uphold the ideals of Babasaheb Ambedkar and the founding leaders of the nation and hold the government to account.

"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 and is due to be heard in less than forty-eight hours," he also said.

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