New poll panel chief soon

New Delhi: The process to select a new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) will begin soon with a high-level panel scheduled to meet on February 17, a day before incumbent Rajiv Kumar's retirement, with Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar among the top contenders for the post, sources said.

The selection committee will include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Law Minister Arjun Meghwal, and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is set to hear petitions challenging the new law governing the appointment of the CEC and Election Commissioners next week. Critics argue that the law gives the Central government an undue advantage in the selection process.

The current Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, is set to retire on February 18. Kumar, who was appointed as CEC in May 2022, has overseen several high-profile electoral exercises, including the Lok Sabha elections held between April and June last year, as well as Jammu and Kashmir’s first Assembly polls.

His tenure also saw the conduct of the 2022 Presidential election and crucial state elections in Karnataka, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan in 2023—results of which saw Congress victories in two states and the BJP securing wins in the others. Kumar’s tenure as poll panel chief concluded with last week’s Delhi Assembly election.