Rajiv Kumar’s Tenure as Chief Election Commissioner Ends, Successor to Be Chosen Soon
New CEC to Oversee Key Elections in Bihar, Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Kerala
New Delhi: The process to appoint a new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) will soon begin as Rajiv Kumar’s term comes to an end on Tuesday. He served as the CEC since May 2022, overseeing several high-profile elections, including the Lok Sabha polls, Jammu and Kashmir’s first Assembly election in over a decade, and state elections in Karnataka, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Delhi.
According to sources, the selection committee will meet on Monday and include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The new CEC will play a crucial role in conducting the upcoming Bihar elections this year, and possibly elections in Bengal and Tamil Nadu in 2026, as well as Assam and Kerala.
The selection process begins just a day before the Supreme Court is set to hear petitions challenging the new law governing the appointment of the CEC and Election Commissioners. Critics argue that the law gives the central government an advantage in the selection process.
Challenges During Tenure
Rajiv Kumar’s tenure as CEC was marked by controversies and complaints, particularly from the Congress party and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Opposition parties frequently alleged that the Election Commission favored the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Concerns were also raised about the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), with claims that they could be hacked.
The Election Commission faced criticism over the timing of voting data releases, especially during the Haryana election, where delays in publishing live voting trends were questioned. Just before the Delhi election, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal accused the Election Commission of being biased towards the BJP, a claim Rajiv Kumar firmly denied.
Rajiv Kumar defended the robustness of the polling system, stating, “The system has in-built red flags to ensure nothing can go wrong. Even if an error is made, the system won’t accept it.” He also dismissed allegations of EVM manipulation, pointing out that they had passed multiple judicial tests, including scrutiny by the Supreme Court.
Looking Ahead: Retirement Plans
As his term concludes, Rajiv Kumar, a 1984-batch IAS officer from the Bihar/Jharkhand cadre, has expressed a desire to “detoxify” and spend time in solitary confinement in the Himalayas. He also mentioned his intention to give back to society by teaching underprivileged children.
With his exit, the focus now shifts to the selection of his successor, who will take on the significant responsibility of overseeing major upcoming elections across India.
News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”
