Here’s a more refined and structured rewrite with a sharper tone and better readability:

Congress Slams Centre Over ‘Hasty’ Appointment of Gyanesh Kumar as CEC

The Congress has strongly opposed the Centre’s decision to appoint Gyanesh Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), calling it a “hastily taken decision.” The party accused the BJP-led government of attempting to sidestep Supreme Court scrutiny regarding the composition of the selection panel that recommended Kumar’s name.

“This move violates the spirit of our Constitution and contradicts repeated Supreme Court rulings emphasizing that the CEC must be an impartial authority to ensure the credibility of the electoral process,” Congress general secretary KC Venugopal wrote on X on Monday night.

Congress Criticizes Timing of Appointment

Venugopal, a senior party leader, highlighted that the government had amended the law on the appointment of election commissioners, removing the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the selection panel. He argued that the Centre should have waited until the Supreme Court’s scheduled hearing on Wednesday (February 19) before finalizing the appointment.

“The government’s rush to convene the selection panel today and finalize the appointment before the court’s verdict indicates an attempt to circumvent judicial scrutiny,” he said.

He further accused the ruling regime of undermining democratic institutions for political gain.

“This blatant disregard for due process erodes trust in the electoral system. Whether it’s fake voter lists, election schedules favoring the BJP, or concerns about EVM manipulation—the government and the election commissioners it appoints continue to face serious credibility issues,” Venugopal added.

Backing Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s stance, he reiterated that the decision should have been postponed until the Supreme Court delivered its ruling.

Rahul Gandhi’s Dissent

Kumar’s appointment was announced just hours after the selection panel, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recommended his name. However, Rahul Gandhi, a panel member, objected to the timing of the meeting, given the pending Supreme Court case concerning the panel’s composition.

The meeting, held at the Prime Minister’s Office, was also attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Gandhi officially recorded his objection by submitting a dissent note.

Who is Gyanesh Kumar?

Gyanesh Kumar, an IAS officer from the Kerala cadre from the 1988 batch, retired as Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation before his appointment as Election Commissioner in 2024.

He previously served in the Ministry of Home Affairs under Amit Shah from May 2022. Before that, he spent five years in the home ministry—first as a joint secretary (2016-2018) and later as an additional secretary (2018-2021). During this period, he oversaw the Jammu & Kashmir desk when Article 370 was revoked in August 2019.

Kumar’s tenure as CEC will last until January 26, 2029.