'Leave Aside Ego': Congress Demands Centre Postpone Chief Election Commissioner Appointment

The demand followed after the selection committee, comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, met to choose the new CEC.

The Congress demands the postponement of CEC selection due to an upcoming Supreme Court hearing challenging the government's law altering the selection panel.

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The Congress on Monday called on the Centre to postpone the selection of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), citing an upcoming Supreme Court hearing on a petition challenging the government's law that replaces the Chief Justice with the Home Minister in the selection panel for the top poll body official.

The demand came as the selection committee, comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, convened to choose the new CEC.

The Congress argued that the current panel's composition contradicts a Supreme Court directive and urged the government to prioritise fairness over political control by deferring the appointment. The party accused the Centre of "only control but not credibility" in the electoral process.

मोदी सरकार मुख्य चुनाव आयुक्त के चयन के लिए 2023 में जो नया कानून- The Chief Election Commissioner And Other Election Commissioners Act लेकर आई है, इसे सुप्रीम कोर्ट में चुनौती दी गई है।

अभी तक सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने इसे लेकर 3 आर्डर पास किए हैं और अगली सुनवाई 19 फरवरी के आस पास होनी… pic.twitter.com/wc0E9sgVuE

— Congress (@INCIndia) February 17, 2025

The Supreme Court ruled in March 2023 that the Chief Election Commissioner shall be appointed on the advice of a committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice. However, this provision was meant to be temporary till a new law was enacted.

Hearing Related To CEC Election Should Be Held Soon: Congress

Later, the government introduced the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, which replaced the Chief Justice with the Home Minister. This legislation has been challenged in the Supreme Court, with a hearing scheduled for February 19.

"The stand of Congress regarding the selection of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is very clear: The meeting held today regarding the election of CEC should be postponed, the Modi government should file a petition in the Supreme Court that the hearing related to the CEC election should be held soon. Congress will fully support the government in this," senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said during a press conference. "Modi government should leave aside its ego and accept this demand," he added.

Singhvi argued that the government's move undermines the credibility of the Election Commission, suggesting that the government is more interested in control than maintaining the institution's independence.

Singhvi further said the move of the government hampered the credibility of the Election Commission and claimed that centre is more interested in controlling the institution rather than its independence. "Removing or trying to keep the Chief Justice out of the appointment (of CEC) process as an independent entity, the government has made it clear, they want only control but not credibility. The most important thing for the Election Commission is credibility," he said.

Senior leader Ajay Maken also reiterated the same stance, emphasising that the meeting should have been postponed.  

Despite this, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi participated in the selection committee meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. Reports indicate that the panel has finalised a candidate and forwarded the recommendation to President Droupadi Murmu.  Government sources suggest that an official notification announcing the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) could be released "within the next few hours."  

Meanwhile, the current Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, is scheduled to retire on Tuesday upon reaching the age of 65.