- By Sahelee Rakshit
- Fri, 14 Feb 2025 05:36 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A selection committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet early next week to decide on the next chief election commissioner, reported PTI citing sources on Friday (February 14, 2025). The panel also includes the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and a Union Cabinet member recommended by the PM.
The panel may convene on Sunday or Monday before incumbent Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar retires on February 18.
Gyanesh Kumar is the most senior election commissioner, after Rajiv Kumar. He will be in office until January 26, 2029. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu is the other election commissioner.
Currently, after the incumbent retires, the senior-most election commissioner (EC) was promoted to CEC. Nevertheless, a search committee shortlists the names of five secretary-level officials for consideration by a prime minister-led panel for nomination to the positions following the implementation of a new legislation on CEC and EC appointments last year.
A new EC might be appointed in addition to the CEC to cover the void left by Rajiv Kumar's departure.
While the provisions of the "Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023" are being used for the first time to appoint a CEC, they were used to appoint ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sandhu to fill the vacancies created by Anup Chandra Pandey's retirement and Arun Goel's resignation last year.
According to the law, the president would choose the CEC and ECs based on the recommendations of a selection committee chaired by the prime minister and consisting of the Lok Sabha opposition leader and a Union Cabinet member selected by the prime minister.
According to the sources cited by the news agency, the same list of candidates might be utilised to nominate a new EC.
