New Delhi: Opposition parties on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a new Bill seeking to regulate the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, saying it is a "blatant attempt" at making the poll watchdog a "total puppet in the hands of the prime minister".
While the Aam Aadmi Party said the prime minister is "weakening" Indian democracy and the ECs appointed will be "loyal" to the BJP, the Trinamool Congress alleged that this is a clear step towards "rigging" the 2024 elections.
Congress leaders appealed to all democratic forces to oppose the proposed legislation and asked whether the BJD and YSRCP will also join hands to oppose the bill.
The BJD and YSRCP have been extending support on crucial issues to the government in the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP does not enjoy a majority of its own.
The Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in the post-lunch session amid uproar by opposition parties, after which the house was adjourned.
Congress general secretary organisation K C Venugopal hit out at the government over the Bill, calling it a "blatant attempt at making the Election Commission a total puppet in the hands of the PM".
"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.
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said it is a "black day" for democracy and noted that the "2024 Lok Sabha election is before us and the Modi government is on the verge of defeat, after losing out in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh".
"A 'Black Day' for Indian Democracy today in Rajya Sabha as Modi government seeks to reconstitute ‘Election Commission of India’ as ‘Modi Election Commission’. As we objected to the brazen assault on India’s Democracy and bulldozing of the Constitutional independence of ECI, the Bill was deliberately introduced in the din, bypassing all sense of Parliamentary procedures and Constitutional propriety," he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Delhi chief minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal said he had already said that "the prime minister does not have faith in the Supreme Court" of the country.
"His message is clear - whatever order of the Supreme Court he does not like, he will bring a law in Parliament and overturn it. If the PM openly does not accept the Supreme Court, then it is a very dangerous situation," he said.
The Supreme Court had formed an unbiased committee which would select unbiased election commissioners, he noted.
"Overturning the order of the Supreme Court, Modi ji made such a committee which would be under his control and through which he would be able to appoint the person of his choice as the Election Commissioner. This will affect the fairness of elections.
"Prime Minister is weakening Indian democracy with one decision after another," Kejriwal alleged.
"The selection committee of election commissioners proposed by the prime minister will have two members from the BJP and one from the Congress. It is obvious that the election commissioners who will be elected will be loyal to the BJP," the Delhi chief minister said.
AITC national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale posted on X, "Shocking: BJP is rigging the 2024 elections openly." "The Modi Government has again brazenly trampled upon an SC judgment & is making the Election Commission its own bunch of stooges," he alleged.
"In a Bill being tabled in Rajya Sabha today, the Chief Justice of India has been replaced by a Union Minister on the Selection Committee to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and two ECs," the Trinamool Congress MP said.
"The SC in its judgment had clearly noted that the committee should be (A) Chief Justice of India, (B) PM, (C) Leader of Opposition. In the Bill, the Modi Government has replaced CJI with "a Union Minister".
"Basically, now, Modi and one Minister will appoint the entire Election Commission. This is a clear step towards rigging the 2024 elections after fear has been struck into BJP’s heart by the united INDIA alliance," Gokhale alleged.
"ECI will now be among the last Constitutional institutions to fall at the altar of usurpation of power by any or all means by an autocrat Prime Minister. The Bill is an assault on the Constitution, the Judiciary & people's rights to elect their own government in a fair and impartial manner,", he said CPI-M leader John Brittas said this is an "attempt to subvert" the democratic process in the country.
He said the Supreme Court had said that the ECs should be appointed through a process which should be independent.
Brittas said he had move a motion under rule 167 to object the introduction of this Bill, which is to "subvert the democracy and the ruling of the Supreme Court", which was not allowed even when he was in his seat.
"We fully condemn the attitude of the government and also the way the bill has been introduced," he said.
TMC MP Sushmita Dev said the Bill is in "absolute contravention" of the Supreme Court ruling, as the SC had said the process of selecting ECs must come through a process which is not dominated by the executive.
"By this Bill, the prime minister will dominate the selection. This is clear that PM Modi is losing the 2024 election and this is a design to subvert every independent institution which should ensure free and fair election," Dev said.
AAP MP Sushil Gupta said the Supreme Court has given a verdict that the CEC should be unbiased but the Modi government has brought a Bill for selection of EC.
"Through this Bill, they will appoint a Chief Election Commissioner who will favour the BJP," he claimed.
Congress MP and whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore alleged that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah want to control the Election Commission by bringing the Bill.
"Modi and Shah wants to control the ECI as they are doing now," Tagore alleged on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"All the Democratic forces must appose. Will BJD and YSRCP do," Tagore asked.
"So in order to kidnap democracy and to made democracy bonded and under its control, the Modi government has brought this bill.
"The Election Commission will be under its control. This is an attempt at making democracy bonded and when the EC comes under the control of the BJP, then how can democracy be saved," Surjewala said.
Surjewala said the Bill is in "direct violation" of the Supreme Court's judgement and it is in "complete defiance" of it that skews the balance in favour of the ruling regime.
"Executive interference is writ large on the face of this Bill. It makes no pretence otherwise. Modi ji must remember - the Constitution and people are above you and we shall fight decisively," the Congress leader said.
The government introduced the Bill in the Rajya Sabha to regulate the appointment of the CEC and other ECs.
According to the Bill, future chief election commissioner and election commissioners will be selected by a three-member panel headed by the prime minister and comprising leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Cabinet minister.
This is in contrast to a Supreme Court judgment of March this year which said the panel should comprise the PM, LoP in Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India.
Before the SC ruling, CEC and Election Commissioners were appointed by the President on the recommendation of the government.
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