Story perspectives

YSRCP Regrets 2023 Chief EC Panel Change, Demands Fix

By Drooid · Oct 21, 2026, 11:01 AM UTC · How we work

Center

Chief Justice Panel Proposal

On 18 Oct 2026, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, chief of the YSR Congress Party, said his party regretted backing the 2023 law changing chief election commissioner appointments.
The proposal called for the Chief Justice of India to join the election-commissioner appointment panel.
The YSRCP claimed its candidates were blocked and urged paramilitary forces and CCTV monitoring.
Reddy said he would file a complaint to Governor Nazeer consulting Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha.

Right

Alleged Police Intimidation

On 18 Oct 2026, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, YSR Congress Party chief, said his party regretted supporting the 2023 law changing chief election commissioner appointments.
Reddy blamed the TDP-led NDA coalition for undermining elections, alleging police intimidation blocked YSRCP candidates from filing nominations.
The 2023 amendment removed the Chief Justice of India from the Election Commissioner selection panel.
Reddy urged restoring the Chief Justice to the Election Commissioner panel.

Blindspot

The 2023 amendment removed the Chief Justice of India from the Election Commissioner selection panel and added a Cabinet minister nominated by the Prime Minister, as reported by Right-leaning sources.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Right-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

In 1993 Parliament amended the Election Commission Act, inserting the Chief Justice of India into a three-member selection committee with the prime minister and Lok Sabha opposition leader, a reform overseen by CJI M. N. Venkatachaliah under Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao. The 2023 amendment replaced the CJI with a union cabinet minister, prompting YSR Congress leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to denounce the change as judicial marginalisation.

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Chief Justice Panel Proposal

On 18 Oct 2026, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, chief of the YSR Congress Party, said his party regretted backing the 2023 law changing chief election commissioner appointments.
The proposal called for the Chief Justice of India to join the election-commissioner appointment panel.
The YSRCP claimed its candidates were blocked and urged paramilitary forces and CCTV monitoring.
Reddy said he would file a complaint to Governor Nazeer consulting Commissioner Anil Chandra Punetha.

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