New Delhi, 21 December (HS): The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Bill related to the appointment of election commissioners and other matters by voice vote. Rajya Sabha passed it on December 12.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Thursday introduced the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Tenure of Office) Bill, 2023 in the Lower House. This Bill is set to replace the Election Commission (Conditions of Service and Functions of Election Commissioners) Act, 1991. A total of 12 members participated in the discussion on the Bill.
Responding to the discussion on the Bill, Meghwal said that Article 324 of the Constitution is related to holding elections in the country. In its second part it was said that Parliament would make a law for the appointment of election commissioners but the Congress governments did not do so. In 1991, they brought a law but this thing was not included in it also. The decision in this regard came on March 2, and the Supreme Court formed a committee.
The government has brought a law for the appointment of commissioners in accordance with the decision of the Supreme Court. He said, ?Congress had left Baba Saheb’s dream incomplete, we are going to fulfill it.?
Answering the questions of some members, he said that the qualification to become the Election Commissioner has been decided. Persons who have held the post of Secretary or above in the Central Government can become Election Commissioner. The search committee attached to the Election Commissioner will be headed by the Law Minister.
Under the provisions of the Bill, the CEC and EC will be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Selection Committee. The selection committee will consist of the Prime Minister, a union Cabinet Minister and the Leader of the Opposition/leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha. The selection committee will consider five names given by the search committee headed by the union Law Minister.
Some opposition leaders opposed the Bill during the discussion and said that it would lead to arbitrary appointments by the government. Opposition leaders called it against the thinking of the makers of the Constitution and the decision of the Supreme Court. The Congress party also opposed it. Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Randeep Singh Surjewala had said that the Modi government wants to take complete control over the Election Commission.
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