SC to hear petitions against CEC, EC appointments amid Congress outcry

New Delhi, India: The Supreme Court will hear petitions on Wednesday regarding the appointment process of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and election commissioners (EC), under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023.

The new Act has altered the selection panel for appointing the CEC and ECs, removing the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the process. Parliament passed the Act in December 2023, following a Supreme Court ruling that the CECs should be appointed by a panel consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the CJI until a new law was enacted.

The petitions come just two days after the Centre appointed Gyanesh Kumar as the new Chief Election Commissioner. Kumar, who took charge as the 26th CEC on Wednesday, will serve a term until 26 January 2029, just before the Lok Sabha elections are expected to take place. Vivek Joshi also assumed his role as an Election Commissioner.

Gyanesh Kumar, who has been an Election Commissioner since March 2024, was promoted to CEC on Monday. He replaced Rajiv Kumar, who retired on Tuesday. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu remains the other Election Commissioner.

In his first message to the nation after taking charge, Kumar emphasised the importance of voting. "First step for nation building is voting. Therefore, every citizen of India who has completed 18 years of age should become an elector and should always vote," he stated. He also reaffirmed the Election Commission’s commitment to being "always with the voters."

Congress outcry

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.

Soon after the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar, 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.

With Agency inputs