Congress leader Sachin Pilot criticized the neutrality of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar, on Saturday. He stated that the commissioner's conduct, as well as the procedure for his appointment and the granting of lifelong immunity after leaving office, raised serious concerns about the independence of the Election Commission.
In an interview with the news agency ANI, Pilot asserted that the CEC's actions undermined public trust in the electoral body. He demanded accountability for the alleged removal of names from voter lists.
Pilot questioned how voters could trust the fairness of elections if the neutrality of the institution conducting the vote was in question. He referred to the alleged exclusion of 13.3 crore names from voter registers, calling it a serious challenge to the fundamental right to vote in the republic.
Pilot stated that Congress has provided documentary evidence of alleged misconduct by Gyanesh Kumar during his tenure as Chief Election Commissioner.
Furthermore, Pilot questioned the legal norms governing the appointment of the CEC, as well as the law providing immunity to the official after retirement. He noted that the initial selection process included the Prime Minister, the opposition leader, and the Chief Justice of India, and cast doubt on the government's decision to change the composition of the election commission.
He also disputed the necessity of passing a law that grants the CEC lifelong immunity after leaving office. Pilot emphasized that in the country, only the Prime Minister, chief ministers, intelligence director, or army commander currently receive lifelong immunity after dismissal.
Pilot accused the government of ignoring issues raised by the opposition in Parliament, asserting that the lack of responses forced him to bring the issue to the public. He stated that political parties have every right to raise this issue and demand explanations.
Pilot added that the opposition seeks to raise awareness, especially among the youth, about the importance of independent electoral institutions, insisting that transparent bodies must remain free from political bias. He also reported that a lawsuit has been filed and is under consideration by the Supreme Court, and the Election Commission provided clarifications that, in his view, were unconvincing.