YSRCP president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has admitted his party made a mistake by supporting the 2023 amendment that governed the appointment of the chief election commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners. He has called for reforms to ensure a neutral selection process.
Reddy said that the ruling establishment should not have a decisive advantage in appointing officials responsible for conducting elections. He called for the return of the previous panel, which used to comprise the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
"Earlier, YSRCP supported this process of allowing the ruling party to make appointments. But today, we regret giving that support. We made a mistake," he said.
"An examiner cannot be appointed by the student," he said, adding that even an honest election commissioner could face criticism if the appointment was not made by a neutral body.
The 2023 amendment to the law ensured that election commissioners are selected by a panel comprising the prime minister, a cabinet minister nominated by the PM and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
The CJI, who was part of the selection process under the interim arrangement put in place by the Supreme Court in 2023, was excluded from the committee under the new law.
The YSRCP chief also demanded similar reforms in the appointment of state election commissioners, arguing that chief ministers and ruling governments should not control the selection process.
"The state election commission should not be appointed by the chief minister or the ruling government. It should be appointed by somebody neutral," he said.
Turning to the ongoing local body election process in Andhra Pradesh, Reddy accused the ruling TDP-led NDA government of undermining democracy by allegedly preventing YSRCP candidates from filing nominations.
He alleged that nomination papers had been snatched, party workers attacked, and candidates threatened, while the police and officials failed to ensure a level playing field.
He alleged that in Pulivendula, Kadapa, Tirupati and Punganur, alleging attacks on his party supporters and obstruction of the nomination process.
The leader demanded that Central paramilitary forces should be deployed in the state to conduct free and fair polls.
The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission, headed by State Election Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha, on Wednesday announced the election schedule.
The polls to 100 urban local bodies are scheduled for October 28, with counting on October 30. The MPTC and ZPTC elections are scheduled for November 3, followed by counting on November 5.
The Gram Panchayat elections are scheduled in three phases on November 26, 29 and December 2.