The Election Commission of India (ECI) is poised for the announcement of the 2024 national election schedule, bolstered by the recent appointment of retired bureaucrats Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu as election commissioners. Political expectations are high for an announcement possibly by Sunday, which would trigger the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. Concurrently, the transparency of political funding comes into focus as the ECI discloses data on electoral bonds, revealing significant donations from varied businesses to political parties up until February 2024.
Controversy surrounds the new appointments, notably from Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. His dissent stems from a process he describes as rushed and lacking in thorough candidate vetting, highlighting procedural concerns in the composition of the ECI. This tension is accentuated by an incident involving West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who sustained a head injury requiring hospital treatment, an occurrence that prompted sympathies including from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Amid these developments, the political arena scrutinizes the effectiveness of electoral alliances. The Congress’s pact with the Samajwadi Party (SP) in Uttar Pradesh stands under evaluation against historical precedents of past partnerships. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai concludes, with discussions on forthcoming electoral strategy looming. In the backdrop, the qualifications of the newly appointed election commissioners are noted, encompassing an array of experiences from working closely with significant government officials to involvement in pivotal legislative changes like the abrogation of Article 370 and the drafting of a Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand.