The Union government has begun the process of appointing the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), according to reports, by setting up a Search Committee under Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. The new law on appointments of CEC and Election Commissioners (ECs), passed by the Modi government in 2023, provides for a Search Committee to shortlist five names to be considered for the appointment of a new CEC.
Apart from Law Minister, the Finance secretary and the Department of Personnel and Training secretary are the two other members of the panel.
The search for a new CEC has begun as current CEC Rajiv Kumar will be demitting office on February 18 after attaining 65 years of age. According to the rule, the candidates for the CEC’s post would be either current or former Secretary-level officers.
Earlier, the senior-most election commissioner (EC) used to be elevated as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) following the retirement of the incumbent.
But the new law stopped this practice and provided for the Ministry of Law to set up a Search Committee under the Law Minister to prepare a panel of five names for the Selection Committee. The Selection Committee, comprising the Prime Minister, a Cabinet minister, and the Leader of Opposition, has to take a final call. It is empowered to either select from this panel or consider any one from outside.
The provisions of the new law are being applied for the first time to appoint a CEC. They were used to appoint Gyanesh Kumar and SS Sandhu as ECs to fill the vacancies created by Anup Chandra Pandey’s retirement and Arun Goel’s resignation last year.
The importance of this Act lies in the fact that even as EC Gyanesh Kumar remains a potential candidate for this post, the Act gives the Selection Committee an option of considering names from outside the Election Commission.
