Govt moves Election Commissioner appointment bill in Rajya Sabha with key amendments

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Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. In its order, the Supreme Court directed the government to set up a panel including the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, and the Opposition leader for the appointment of the country's key election officers.

Keeping in mind the current Lok Sabha, the Supreme Court order also mentioned that in case there is no Opposition leader, the panel should include the leader of the single-largest opposition party. The Union Cabinet then gave the green light to the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, but the bill was subject to criticism from the first day.

In the bill, the government replaced the Chief Justice of India with a Union Minister, and the job conditions of an Election Commission were brought in parallel to the level of Cabinet Secretary from the earlier level of a Supreme Court judge. According to a PTI report, the government has now decided to keep the status of Election Commissioners equivalent to the status of Supreme Court judges, a major demand of Opposition parties and former Election Commissioners.

However, no change is visible on the other contentious issue; a Union Minister is expected to remain a part of the selection panel rather than the Chief Justice of India. "The CEC and other commissioners shall be paid a salary which is equal to the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court," Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said while moving the bill with amendment.

One more amendment in the bill protects the sitting Election Commissioners from civil or criminal proceedings. Moreover, the search committee, which is tasked with providing the five names to the