Tue Feb 18 21:52:21 UTC 2025: ## Congress Accuses BJP of Bypassing Supreme Court in CEC Appointment

**NEW DELHI** – The Congress party has vehemently criticized the appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), alleging the BJP-led government acted hastily to circumvent Supreme Court scrutiny. The appointment, announced Monday night, comes just days before the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case challenging the composition of the selection panel.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal condemned the move on X (formerly Twitter), stating it violates the Constitution’s principles of impartiality in the electoral process. He pointed out that the amended law removing the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel should have prompted the government to wait for the Supreme Court’s ruling. Venugopal accused the government of deliberately rushing the appointment to avoid judicial review.

Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, a member of the selection panel, also voiced his dissent, noting the timing of the meeting—held at the Prime Minister’s Office and attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah—was inappropriate given the pending Supreme Court case. Gandhi reportedly submitted a formal dissent note.

The Congress highlighted concerns about the integrity of the electoral process, citing past incidents such as alleged fake voter lists, biased scheduling, and concerns over EVM hacking. They argue these concerns necessitate a completely impartial CEC, a quality they believe is compromised by the circumstances surrounding Kumar’s appointment.

Kumar, a 1988 batch Kerala cadre IAS officer, served as secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation before his appointment as an Election Commissioner last year. His previous role involved a five-year stint in the Ministry of Home Affairs under Amit Shah, including heading the Jammu & Kashmir desk during the abrogation of Article 370. His term as CEC will extend until January 26, 2029. The Congress’s strong criticism suggests this appointment will likely become a major point of contention in the coming days.

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