- By Abhishek Sheoran
- Tue, 02 Jan 2024 11:36 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking direction to the Central Government to constitute a neutral and independent selection committee for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners (ECs), news agency ANI reported. This came days after the Parliament gave its nod to a bill on the appointment, and service conditions of CEC, and ECs.
The bill aims to regulate the appointment, conditions of service, and term of office for the chief election commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners.
The PIL also demanded the Gazette notification issued by the Centre on December 28, 2023, in this context be set aside.
The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on December 21 while the Rajya Sabha gave its nod to the bill on December 12.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal had said the 1991 Act on the service conditions of the CEC and the ECs was a half-baked attempt and the present Bill covers the areas left out by the previous legislations. Thereafter, the Bill was passed by a voice vote.
This bill gives a key role to the Centre in the appointment of the CEC and the ECs. As per the bill, the CEC and ECs will henceforth be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a panel constituting the Prime Minister, a Union Minister and the Leader of the Opposition or leader of the largest opposition party in Lok Sabha.
The bill has replaced the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991, where CJI was part of the panel and has now been replaced by a Union Minister.
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Besides, the salary and conditions of service of the CEC and ECs will be equivalent to that of the Cabinet Secretary. Under the 1991 Act, it was equivalent to the salary of a Supreme Court judge.