Ex-CM Jagan Says He Regrets Supporting Change in CEC Appointment Process, Seeks Neutral Selection Panel

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that he regrets his party's decision to support a law that changed the way Election Commissioners are appointed. Speaking on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at a time when the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls has triggered protests across the country, he called for a neutral appointment process and said the 2023 law should be corrected.

"We Regret Committing That Mistake"

Jagan said that appointments of Election Commissioners should be neutral. He admitted that his party had supported the legislation introduced by the Union government and said that today it regrets that decision. He explained the problem by pointing out that earlier the selection committee included the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice of India, but that the Chief Justice is no longer part of the committee. He compared the present arrangement to a student choosing his own examiner and said that such a system cannot inspire public trust.

What Changed in 2023

In March 2023, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners should be appointed on the advice of a committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India, until Parliament made a law. In December 2023, Parliament enacted a law that replaced the Chief Justice with a Union Cabinet minister nominated by the Prime Minister. The change has been challenged in the Supreme Court, and it has been criticised by opposition parties, which argue that it gives the government a majority in the selection panel. In February 2025, the committee appointed Gyanesh Kumar as the Chief Election Commissioner despite a dissent note from Rahul Gandhi, who objected to the process while the matter was pending before the court.

A Proposal for Reform

Jagan proposed replacing the current system with a three-member panel comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice of India. He also said that State Election Commissioners should be appointed through a neutral process involving the Chief Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and possibly the Chief Justice of the High Court, so that state election bodies are also free from political influence.

Allegations Over Andhra Pradesh Municipal Polls

The remarks were made as Jagan attacked the ruling Telugu Desam Party government in Andhra Pradesh over the conduct of municipal elections. He alleged that YSRCP candidates were being obstructed from filing nominations and asked why this was happening if the ruling party truly enjoys public support. He claimed that the returning officer refused to accept nominations even after party leader Midhun Reddy and the candidates waited for three hours, and he alleged that in Pulivendula, the party's stronghold, the police acted like partisan workers of the ruling party. He also raised concerns about irregularities in electoral rolls. These are allegations by the opposition, and the state government has not been quoted in the reports.

Questions About Consistency

Political commentators were quick to ask why the YSRCP supported the law in Parliament in the first place. Critics said the admission of regret has come only now, when the party is in opposition and questioning the conduct of election authorities. Supporters of Jagan argue that it is better to acknowledge a mistake than to persist in it, and that the demand for an independent selection process deserves serious consideration regardless of past positions.

The National Debate

Jagan's statement adds to the pressure on the government over the independence of the Election Commission, an issue that has gained prominence because of the SIR protests and allegations of irregularities. The Supreme Court is yet to give a final verdict on the challenge to the 2023 law, and a decision could reshape how the poll body's leadership is chosen. Until then, the issue remains a central point of political contention.

This report is based on published news coverage and statements attributed to the leader. The allegations have not been independently verified.