'Disrespectful': Rahul in a note on process to select next CEC

Congress leader and Lok Sabha's leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, who was part of the three-member panel that met on Monday to pick the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) made public his dissent note on the timing and composition of the meeting on Tuesday, hours after the government announced, late on Monday night, that the committee had picked Gyanesh Kumar for the post.

- Saubhadra Chatterji

NEW DELHI:

In his note, Gandhi said: "It will be both disrespectful and discourteous to the institutions as well as to the founding leaders of our nation for this committee to continue with its process of choosing the next CEC, when the very composition of this committee and the process is being challenged and soon to be heard by the Hon. Supreme Court."

A government functionary pointed out that while hearing in a case to challenge the formation of the selection committee was due, "the Supreme Court has not given any stay order on the selection process."

Kumar, an election commissioner, was appointed by the President of India as the next chief election commissioner in a late-night announcement. He will replace outgoing CEC Rajiv Kumar and is the first CEC to be appointed under the new law that was passed in 2023.

In his dissent note, Gandhi cited that a hearing is scheduled in the Supreme Court on Wednesday against the new law and said, "This government order was subsequently challenged by a public interest litigant. The Supreme Court has indicated its intention to take up this matter on 19th February 2025, less than forty-eight hours away."