New Delhi, Dec 21: The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and election commissioners’ terms of office are to be regulated by a bill that Parliament passed on Thursday. Arjun Meghwal, the Minister of Law, stated that the legislation was brought about in response to a Supreme Court ruling. Following a brief debate, the Lok Sabha passed the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023. The Rajya Sabha approved it last week. 97 members of major opposition political parties were suspended for the remainder of the winter session due to “misconduct,” but they nevertheless participated in the bill debate.The Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners’ pension, leave, resignation, and terms of office are all covered by the bill, along with their qualifications, search and selection committees, pensions, and terms of office. Meghwal stated that there are no provisions pertaining to the qualifications, search committee for assembling a group of candidates for consideration, and recommendation by the Selection Committee for appointment as CEC and election commissioners in the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991.In a writ petition, the Supreme Court ruled that the President would appoint CECs and ECs based on recommendations from a committee that included the Chief Justice of India, the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the leader of the largest opposition party in the House. Meghwal stated that the ruling had stated that the Supreme Court’s standard would remain applicable until the Parliament passes a new law. He declared, “We are bringing the law for this purpose.”He said that the search committee will now be led by the Law Minister rather than the Cabinet Secretary as a result of a bill amendment. According to the bill, the President will appoint CECs and ECs based on the Selection Committee’s recommendation. The Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition, or the head of the biggest opposition party in the Lok Sabha, will make up the Selection Committee. The Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991 will be superseded by the Bill.The provisions of the bill have previously drawn the serious concern of opposition members, who have called it “one of the biggest blows to democracy” by the Modi government in the last nine years. Congress leader stated that while “election credibility” was once associated with EC, it is now associated with “elections compromised.”
