Election Commission Decisively Rejects Rahul Gandhi's Grave Charge Against CEC Gyanesh Kumar as Baseless

In a significant development, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has firmly pushed back against allegations made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi concerning Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The ECI, in a strong rebuttal, declared Gandhi's charges against Kumar as 'baseless', clarifying the factual inaccuracies surrounding his past service.

Rahul Gandhi had launched a scathing attack, alleging that Gyanesh Kumar was 'removed' as secretary in the Home Ministry by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, specifically linking this alleged removal to the contentious 'electoral bond' scam.

Gandhi's accusations came amidst a broader critique of the selection process for election commissioners, where he had previously claimed the Prime Minister-led committee appointed individuals who are 'loyal to him'.

However, the ECI's clarification paints a starkly different picture. The commission categorically stated that Gyanesh Kumar was not 'removed' from his position as secretary in the Home Ministry but was, in fact, transferred.

More crucially, the ECI highlighted that this transfer occurred well before Amit Shah assumed office as the Union Home Minister. This timeline directly undermines the core of Gandhi's allegation, which implicitly suggested a direct intervention by Shah related to the electoral bond issue.

The ECI underscored the gravity of making such unsubstantiated claims against a constitutional authority, particularly during a period of intense public scrutiny on electoral processes.

The commission's response emphasized the importance of factual accuracy in public discourse, especially when discussing the integrity and independence of key democratic institutions and their officeholders.

This forceful rejection by the ECI comes at a time when the transparency and impartiality of India's electoral body are frequently debated in political circles.

While Rahul Gandhi has consistently voiced concerns over the government's influence on autonomous bodies, the ECI's latest statement serves as a clear assertion of its independence and a direct challenge to what it perceives as unfounded political rhetoric.