'PM Does Not Believe In SC': Kejriwal, Congress Attack Modi Over Bill To Appoint Poll Officers

Election Commissioners Appointment: Congress called the legislation a 'blatant attempt' at making the Election Commission a 'total puppet in the hands of the PM'.

The AAP and Congress on Thursday launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Centre listed a bill for introduction in Parliament that will exclude the Chief Justice of India from the panel to appoint top poll officers.

The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill was tabled in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The development comes months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, where the NDA government will be seeking a third consecutive term.

PM Modi Weakening Democracy: Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "weakening democracy" while Congress MP KC Venugopal called the move a "blatant attempt at making the Election Commission a total puppet in the hands of the PM".

Kejriwal said it would be a "very dangerous situation" if the PM "openly does not accept Supreme Court orders". 

"I had already said that the Prime Minister does not believe in the Supreme Court of the country. His message is clear - whatever order of the Supreme Court he does not like, he will bring a law in Parliament and overturn it," Kejriwal tweeted.

The AAP supremo said the selection committee of election commissioners proposed by the Centre would have two members from the BJP and one from the Congress. "It is obvious that the election commissioners who will be elected will be loyal to the BJP," Kejriwal said.

The Delhi CM said the move would affect the fainess of elections as the Prime Minister would be able to appoint the person of his choice as the Election Commissioner.

"The Supreme Court had formed an unbiased committee to select unbiased election commissioners. By overturning the order of the Supreme Court, PM Modi made such a committee that would be under his control and through which he will be able to appoint the person of his choice as the Election Commissioner," Kejriwal tweeted.

Bid To Make EC Puppet In Hands Of PM: Congress

Congress general secretary called the bill "unconstitutional and arbitrary" and asked other Opposition parties to oppose the legislation.

"What about the Supreme Court's existing ruling which requires an impartial panel? Why does the PM feel the need to appoint a biased Election Commissioner? This is an unconstitutional, arbitrary and unfair Bill - we will oppose this on every forum," Venugopal said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore said, through the bill, PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah wanted to control the Election Commission. "Modi and Shah wants to control the ECI as they are doing now," Tagore tweetded.