Politics · India · 13 hrs ago
Jagan Reddy regrets backing 2023 election commissioners law
YSR Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy says his party made a mistake by supporting a 2023 law on appointing India’s chief election commissioner and other election commissioners.
The law set up a committee with the prime minister, a cabinet minister chosen by the prime minister and the opposition leader in the Lok Sabha.
It removed the chief justice of India from the selection committee, replacing a system that included the prime minister, opposition leader and chief justice.
Reddy says the government should not have a decisive advantage in choosing election officials, because that can weaken public confidence in their neutrality.
He also wants independent appointments for state election commissioners, rather than appointments controlled by chief ministers or state governments.
In Andhra Pradesh, he has accused the ruling TDP-led alliance of obstructing YSR Congress candidates in local elections; the allegations have not received an immediate response from the TDP.
Local elections are due to begin on October 28, with urban local body results scheduled for October 30.
YSR Congress Party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said his party regrets supporting the 2023 law on appointing election commissioners.
He called for an appointment process independent of the government in power and argued that the ruling side should not have a decisive advantage.
The 2023 law provides for a selection committee made up of the prime minister, a cabinet minister nominated by the prime minister and the Lok Sabha opposition leader.
Jagan also called for an impartial process to appoint state election commissioners, rather than having chief ministers or state governments control appointments.
He accused Andhra Pradesh’s ruling TDP-led NDA coalition of obstructing opposition candidates in local elections; the articles report no immediate response from the TDP.
- Who
- Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, president of the YSR Congress Party and former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh.
- What
- He expressed regret that his party supported the 2023 election commissioners appointment law and called for an impartial appointment process.
- When
- Sunday, October 18, 2026.
- Where
- At a press conference at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli, Andhra Pradesh.
- Why
- He said appointments should be independent of the government in power to protect the impartiality of election officials and public trust in elections.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The law changed the selection committee for election commissioners, replacing the chief justice of India with a cabinet minister nominated by the prime minister.
Jagan said YSRCP regrets supporting the law and called for impartial appointment processes for national and state election commissioners.
Elections for 100 urban local bodies in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled.
Results for the urban local body elections are scheduled to be announced.
MPTC and ZPTC elections in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled.
Counting for the MPTC and ZPTC elections is scheduled.
- Party
- YSR Congress Party (YSRCP)
- Law
- 2023 election commissioners appointment law
- Selection committee under the law
- Prime minister, a cabinet minister nominated by the prime minister, and the Lok Sabha opposition leader
- Former selection committee
- Prime minister, Lok Sabha opposition leader, and chief justice of India
- Urban local body polls
- 100 local bodies; scheduled for October 28, 2026
3 sources
'गलती कर दी', 2023 के चुनाव आयोग कानून का समर्थन करने पर जगन मोहन रेड्डी ने जताया अफसोस
'एग्जामिनर की नियुक्ति छात्र नहीं कर सकता', ECI की नियुक्ति पर जगन रेड्डी के सवाल, समर्थन पर जताया पछतावा
‘പരീക്ഷ നടത്തുന്നയാളെ വിദ്യാർഥി നിയമിക്കുന്ന പോലെ’; തിരഞ്ഞെടുപ്പ് കമ്മിഷണറെ നിയമിക്കുന്ന നിയമത്തെ പിന്തുണച്ചതിൽ ഖേദം പ്രകടിപ്പിച്ച് YSR കോൺഗ്രസ്
What people are saying
An examiner cannot be appointed by a student.
We regret giving that support. We made a mistake.
Even if the examiner is honest, if they were appointed by an impartial committee, they will face criticism.
The state election commission should not be appointed by the chief minister or the ruling government. It should be appointed by an impartial person.