The Congress has strongly criticized the Centre’s decision to appoint Gyanesh Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), calling it a rushed move aimed at avoiding Supreme Court scrutiny. Party leader KC Venugopal stated that the BJP-led government was eager to sidestep judicial oversight on the selection process, which recently removed the Chief Justice of India from the panel.
Venugopal asserted that the move violates the spirit of the Constitution and raises concerns about electoral impartiality. “Such egregious behavior shows the ruling regime is destroying the electoral process and bending rules for its benefit,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi, who was part of the selection panel, objected to the timing of the meeting, as the Supreme Court is set to hear a case on the panel’s structure. The Congress demanded that the decision be put on hold until the verdict.
Gyanesh Kumar, a 1988-batch Kerala cadre IAS officer, has served in key roles in the Home and Cooperation ministries, including overseeing Jammu & Kashmir affairs when Article 370 was revoked. His selection has now sparked a fresh political controversy.
