CJI dropped from CEC selection panel; Centre defends Bill, says Supreme Court ruling is followed

livemint.com:

the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha or leader of the largest Opposition party in the House, and the Chief Justice of India (CJI). Dropping the CJI from the selection committee, the new Bill proposes that the "Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a Selection Committee consisting of—(a) the Prime Minister—Chairperson; (b) the Leader of Opposition in the House of the People—Member; (c) a Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister—Member." The Bill, however, wasn't passed without a little resistance.

The Opposition has alleged that the Centre has defied the Supreme Court order by dropping the CJI from the selection panel. The Central government has, however, defended the Bill, saying it is in consonance with the Supreme Court ruling and not against it.

Opposition members had earlier expressed their concern over the provisions of the Bill, saying it is "one of the biggest blows to democracy" by the Modi government in the last nine years. Congress leaders said there was a time when EC meant electoral credibility' but today it means 'elections compromised'.

In March 2023, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India must pick the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs). "The appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and the Election Commissioners shall be made by the President on the advice of a Committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition of the Lok Sabha, and in case no leader of Opposition is available, the leader of the largest opposition Party in the