Mon Feb 17 14:41:25 UTC 2025: ## Congress Protests Appointment of New Chief Election Commissioner Amidst Supreme Court Challenge

**New Delhi** – The Congress party has voiced strong objections to the appointment of a new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), arguing that the process should have been postponed due to an ongoing Supreme Court challenge against the law governing the appointment. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi attended a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah this evening to select a successor to Rajiv Kumar, whose term ends tomorrow. However, following the meeting, Mr. Gandhi submitted a dissent note, asserting that the selection should not have proceeded while the matter remains before the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case on February 22nd. While government sources claim that the selection process was necessary to avoid a vacancy at the Election Commission and that the court hadn’t issued a stay on appointments, the Congress maintains that the meeting should have been delayed to allow for the Supreme Court’s decision. The Congress’s legal team reportedly supports this stance.

The new CEC is expected to be appointed under the recently enacted Chief Election Commissioner And Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service And Term of Office) Act, 2023. This law, which replaces the Chief Justice of India on the selection committee with a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister, is the subject of the Supreme Court challenge. The Congress alleges that this change undermines the neutrality of the selection process and allows the government undue influence over the Election Commission.

The appointment orders for the new CEC and other Election Commissioners are expected to be signed by the President tomorrow. Gyanesh Kumar is reportedly the likely candidate to be appointed CEC, based on seniority. The Congress party alleges that the government’s actions demonstrate a desire to control the Election Commission, compromising its credibility.

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