Democracy Cannot Function Under a Shadow of Doubt, Randhawa on CEC Row

Chandigarh, September 23, 2026: Former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that recent developments concerning the Chief Election Commissioner and proceedings in the Supreme Court have raised serious questions about the independence and impartiality of the Election Commission.
He said that in a democracy, the credibility of the Election Commission must remain paramount, and any doubt over its functioning is a matter of concern for the country’s democratic framework. He said the Chief Election Commissioner has lost his moral authority and that questions raised over his selection process have become a serious warning for democracy. He said the Chief Election Commissioner should be removed immediately to safeguard democracy and the Constitution.
Sukhjinder Randhawa said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had raised concerns much earlier regarding electoral rolls and the electoral process, and those issues are now being seriously debated at the national level. He said that to protect democracy, the Election Commission must function in a completely impartial and independent manner and in a way that commands the confidence of the people. He added that protecting the institutional dignity of the Election Commission is a shared responsibility of all constitutional institutions and political parties.
Randhawa said that the impeachment motion brought by 73 Opposition MPs against the Chief Election Commissioner is still pending. He said that differences that have emerged within the Election Commission in the meantime have made the situation even more serious and have triggered a wider debate over the functioning of the Commission.
Randhawa said that the proceedings in the Supreme Court concerning the appointment process of Election Commissioners are also significant. He said the questions raised by Justice Datta indicate that serious consideration is required to ensure the Election Commission’s genuine independence. He said the matter will now be heard by a larger bench, and the country is closely watching the outcome.
Randhawa said that in March 2023, in the Anoop Baranwal vs. Union of India case, the Supreme Court had directed that the selection committee should comprise the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India. However, he said, this arrangement was subsequently changed through legislation. He said that this change is now once again at the centre of a constitutional debate.