Centre Moves Bill To Drop Chief Justice of India From Selection Panel For Election Commissioners

The Central Government has moved a Bill to prescribe the manner of selecting the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners. As per the Bill, the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a Selection Committee consisting :

(a) the Prime Minister- Chairperson;

(b) the Leader of Opposition in the House of the People Member;

(c) a Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister- Member",

The Bill titled "Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023" is scheduled to be introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in the Rajya Sabha today.

In March this year, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court had ruled that the Election Commissioners shall be selected by a committee comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India, till the Parliament frames a law prescribing the selection process. The bench led by Justice KM Joseph passed the direction to ensure the independence of the Election Commissioners from the independence. While passing the direction, the bench noted that there is no Parliamentary law at place in terms of Article 324(2) of the Constitution laying down the selection procedure for Election Commissioners.

The Bill seeks to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners by the panel headed by the Prime Minister.