The Centre today appointed bureaucrats Sukhbir Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar as election commissioners, filling the vacancies left by the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey in February and the surprise resignation of Arun Goel last Saturday. This was revealed by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary in Delhi today.
The decision was made by a three-member selection committee, comprising the prime minister, a Union minister nominated by the PM, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. However, Chowdhury has revealed that he was informed of the appointments only after they had been decided, indicating a lack of prior consultation.
Chowdhury stated, “I was just called for formality. The names had already been decided,” shedding light on what appears to be a predetermined process.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar now welcomes them as members of the poll authority.
With the appointments now official, the focus shifts to the new commissioners’ roles and responsibilities, as well as the broader implications for the functioning of the Election Commission. The move comes amidst concerns regarding the transparency and fairness of the selection process, raising questions about the autonomy of the commission and the need for greater accountability in such appointments.
