YSRCP chief Jagan seeks amendment to CEC appointment law

YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has urged the Centre to amend the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, and restore the earlier appointment system involving the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and Chief Justice of India.

Amaravati: Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday demanded an amendment to the CEC and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, to restore public confidence in the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners.

He called for a return to the earlier system under which the CEC and other Election Commissioners were appointed by a three-member committee comprising the Leader of Opposition (LoP), the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and the Prime Minister.

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In his first reaction to the ongoing row involving CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Jagan said in a post on X that democracy can stand only when people have complete confidence in constitutional institutions such as the Election Commission.

“National media reports that two Election Commissioners raised objections on several occasions to decisions, electoral rolls, and the management of ECINet, which have led to serious questions and doubts among the public. Rather than an exchange of allegations, the public needs clarity on what objections were recorded, what action was taken on them, and how transparently the system functioned, whether for adding, deleting, or restoring names on electoral rolls. Steps are needed to give people confidence on these matters,” he said.

He added that public trust in the electoral process must be strengthened, every citizen’s right to vote protected, and systems reinforced to allow people to exercise that right without fear.

“In a democracy, transparency should not only prevail but should also appear to have prevailed. The very bill (Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023), which we supported then, should be revisited now in the current context. The Central government should come forward, set the norm in place, and dispel this fear. An amendment to the bill should be brought forward where the Election Commissioner is appointed by the three-member committee of LoP, CJI and the Prime Minister once again,” the YSRCP said.

Jagan remarked that “a student appointing the examiner is always prone to allegations even though the examiner is thoroughly honest, and it is always better to replace the process with someone neutral. This move would definitely regain the esteem and confidence in the Election Commission.”

He further said that during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in Andhra Pradesh, the party in power misused its authority.

“On many occasions, our appeals went unheard. In the local body election process too, our objections as an Opposition party to the manner in which divisions were redrawn were brushed aside. Such actions undoubtedly weaken public confidence in the electoral process. Transparency and accountability are the true measures of how any institution functions in a democracy, and safeguarding them is that institution’s primary duty,” he added.