New Delhi, 14 February 2025: The selection of India’s next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is set to begin in the coming days, just ahead of a Supreme Court hearing on petitions challenging the 2023 law governing the appointment process, sources said Friday.
The new CEC will oversee elections in Bihar later this year and, potentially, in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu next year, along with polls in Assam and Kerala.
A committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in his capacity as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, is expected to convene Monday to finalize the appointment.
The 2023 law, which removed the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel and replaced them with a Union minister nominated by the prime minister, has been contested in court. Critics argue it gives the ruling party greater control over the Election Commission, a concern raised by opposition leaders.
Rajiv Kumar, the current CEC, will step down on Tuesday after nearly two years in office. Since his appointment in May 2022, he has overseen key electoral events, including last year’s Lok Sabha elections, state polls in Karnataka, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan, as well as Jammu and Kashmir’s first Assembly election in over a decade.
During his tenure, opposition parties, particularly the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, frequently accused the Election Commission of bias toward the BJP and raised concerns over electronic voting machines (EVMs). In the run-up to the Delhi elections, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal accused the poll body of “surrendering before the BJP,” a claim Kumar denied.
Despite criticism, Kumar defended the electoral process, insisting that “the system is robust, with in-built red flags that ensure nothing can go wrong.” As he prepares to leave office, Kumar has spoken about his plans to spend time in the Himalayas and engage in teaching underprivileged children.
