The Congress kept the heat on the appointment of the new chief election commissioner on Monday as leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, in his speech on the floor of the Lok Sabha, said he may not attend the meeting with Prime Minister and the home minister to decide on India’s next poll commissioner.

“In a few more days I have a meeting where Amit Shah (union home minister) and Narendra Modi will be present (to select the new chief election commissioner). What is the point of this meeting?” Rahul asked, as he raised the issue of the Maharashtra polls on the floor of the House.

The chief election commissioner Rajeev Kumar is due to retire on February 18.

“The rules have been changed. The election commissioners used to be selected by the prime minister, the leader of opposition and the chief justice of India. Why was the chief justice of India removed (from the selection process)?” asked Rahul.

In 2023, the Narendra Modi government had introduced a bill that replaced the CJI in the appointment of the election commissioners with the union home minister and giving an advantage to the ruling party to pick a man of its choice.

“Had the CJI been there, we could have discussed the matter and given our opinion that we do not agree to the government’s nominee. Now it is two to one. What is the point of attending such a meeting?” he asked.

On Monday, the Supreme Court announced it will hear the pleas challenging the constitutionality of the chief election commissioner and the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 on February 12, six days before the incumbent CEC’s retirement is due.

Speaking on behalf of the entire Opposition, Rahul said, the Election Commission should hand over the data related to the Maharashtra polls to the Opposition.

“In the five months between the Lok Sabha election and Assembly polls, the voting population of Himachal Pradesh was added to the electoral rolls. Seventy lakh new voters suddenly arrived. The PM is not looking at me,” Rahul said, pointing towards the treasury bench where Modi occupied the front row.

“In one building in Shirdi alone 7,000 voters were added. This is not an accusation. This is problematic. We repeatedly asked the Election Commission to give the voters list from the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. The EC has to give the voters list to the Congress, Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray) and NCP (led by Sharad Pawar). This is not an irresponsible request,” said Rahul, underlining the change in the appointment rules of the election commissioners of having prompted the fear.