In a significant development, Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday lodged a formal note of dissent during a high-level meeting convened to finalise appointments to major transparency watchdogs, including the Central Information Commission (CIC) and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

According to sources, the meeting—attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Gandhi—lasted over an hour. During the discussions, Gandhi reportedly objected to the government-backed candidates and recorded his disagreement in writing, marking yet another clash over institutional autonomy.

Gandhi, by virtue of his position as the Lok Sabha LoP, is a statutory member of the selection committees that vet appointments to these oversight bodies. He has frequently accused the government of attempting to weaken institutions responsible for enforcing transparency and accountability.

The confrontation inside the meeting followed a day of sharp political escalation. Earlier, Gandhi posted a video clip of his Lok Sabha speech on X, intensifying his allegations that the BJP-led government had converted the Election Commission into a “tool for vote chori”. He raised pointed questions about amendments to election laws, the removal of the Chief Justice of India from the EC selection panel, legal immunity granted to the Commission ahead of the 2024 elections, and the order to erase CCTV footage within 45 days.

The CIC—India’s top authority for appeals and complaints under the Right to Information Act—is currently functioning with only two commissioners: Anandi Ramalingam and Vinod Kumar Tiwari. According to NDTV, more than 30,000 RTI appeals are pending, largely due to vacancies at the top. The post of Chief Information Commissioner has been vacant since September 13, when Heeralal Samariya retired upon turning 65, after serving less than a year since his appointment in November 2023.