Bill to appoint top three election commissioners passed in Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the highly contentious Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023.

On December 12, it was passed in the Upper House of Parliament with a voice vote.

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.

The objective of the Bill is to put in place procedures for the appointment of the three members of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

It was brought after the Supreme Court in March ruled that a three-member panel, headed by the Prime Minister and comprising the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India, will select the CEC and ECs till a law is framed by Parliament on the appointment of these commissioners.

However, the new Bill has dropped the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee. As per it, the Prime Minister will head the selection committee with the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet minister as the other two members.

A new clause related to protection from initiation of legal proceedings against the CEC and ECs for actions taken while carrying out their duties has also been introduced through the amendments.

At present, the CEC and fellow ECs enjoy the status of a judge of the Supreme Court. By bringing the amendment, the government has retained that status.

(With PTI inputs)

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