Former bureaucrats Sukhbir Singh Sandhu from Punjab and Gyanesh Kumar from Kerala have been named as the new Election Commissioners by a panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, committee member and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said on March 14.
Addressing reporters at his residence soon after the meeting ended, Mr. Chowdhury said six names came up before the panel for the selection of the two ECs, and the names of Mr. Sandhu and Mr. Kumar were finalised by a majority of members of the high-powered panel.
He, however, said the Chief Justice of India should have been part of the selection panel and there was no clarity on how six names were shortlisted from over 200 candidates that are said to have come before the search committee headed by the Law Minister.
The six names shortlisted were those of Utpal Kumar Singh, Pradeep Kumar Tripathi, Gyanesh Kumar, Indevar Pandey, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, Sudhir Kumar Gangadhar Rahate, all former bureaucrats.
“Of the six names, the names of Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were finalized for appointment as election commissioners,” he said.
Congress Loksabha Leader of Opposition puts allegations on Selection Panel
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Opposition member in the three-member selection committee, said that bureaucrats Sukhbir Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar have been appointed as election commissioners.
The vacancies were created after the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey in February and the surprise resignation of Arun Goel last Saturday. This left Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar as the sole member of the poll authority.
The committee comprises the prime minister, a Union minister nominated by the PM, and the Leader of the Opposition or the single largest Opposition party in Lok Sabha, in this case, Chowdhury.
The Congress leader had reportedly written to Legislative Department Secretary Rajiv Mani asking him to send him details of shortlisted candidates for the post of Election Commissioners along with their bio-data.
Reacting to the development on Thursday, Chowdhury said, “I was just called for formality. The names had already been decided.”
Originally, the commission had only a CEC. It currently consists of the CEC and two election commissioners.
Attempt to make Election Commission a puppet of PM: Opposition
The opposition on Thursday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the new bill related to the appointment of Chief Election Commissioners and other Election Commissioners. He said that this was an attempt to make the election body a puppet in the hands of the Prime Minister.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that Prime Minister Modi is weakening Indian democracy and the Election Commissioner to be appointed will be loyal to the BJP. At the same time, Trinamool Congress alleged that this is a clear step towards rigging the 2024 elections.
Congress leaders appealed to all democratic forces to oppose the proposed law and questioned whether Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and YSR Congress would also join hands to oppose the bill. BJD and YSR Congress have been supporting the government on important issues in the Rajya Sabha. BJP does not have a majority in the Upper House.
Congress General Secretary fire statements on PM
Congress General Secretary (Organization) K.C. Venugopal targeted the government and called it an attempt to make the Election Commission a puppet in the hands of the Prime Minister.
Venugopal said, what about the current decision of the Supreme Court under which an impartial committee is required? Why does the Prime Minister feel the need to appoint a Commissioner on Partisan X?
This is an unconstitutional, arbitrary, and unfair bill – we will oppose it at every platform.’ Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he has always said that the current central government will overturn any order of the Supreme Court that it does not like.
He said that this is a dangerous situation and it can affect the fairness of the elections. Trinamool Congress national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale said BJP is rigging the 2024 elections.
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