New Delhi: The AAP and Congress on Thursday launched a blistering attack on Narendra Modi after the government of India listed a bill for introduction in Parliament that will exclude the Chief Justice of India from the panel to appoint top poll officers.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused Modi of “weakening democracy” while Congress MP KC Venugopal called the move a “blatant attempt at making the Election Commission a total puppet in the hands of the PM”.
Congress general secretary called the bill “unconstitutional and arbitrary” and asked other Opposition parties to oppose the legislation.
“What about the Supreme Court’s existing ruling which requires an impartial panel? Why does the PM feel the need to appoint a biased Election Commissioner? This is an unconstitutional, arbitrary and unfair Bill – we will oppose this on every forum,” Venugopal said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
As per a bill scheduled for submission in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, future chief election commissioners and election commissioners will be chosen by a three-member panel comprised of the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Cabinet minister, and chaired by Narendra Modi.
In contrast, a Supreme Court ruling from March stated that the panel should be made up of the Indian Chief Justice, the Prime Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
