The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a Bill which seeks to establish a mechanism to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. The crucial bill was cleared in the Lower House after a brief discussion in the House. The Bill was passed by a voice vote. The bill provides for the appointment, qualifications, Search Committee, Selection Committee, term of office, salary, resignation and removal, leave, pension of the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners.
The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 already got a nod of the Rajya Sabha.
Participating in the debate while moving the Bill, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal 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.
Rajya Sabha passed bill in December
Earlier in December, Rajya Sabha passed a bill as the Opposition MPs objected and protested against its provisions and staged a walkout. Meghwal said that the Election Commission will continue to “work independently” and the bill was introduced following a Supreme Court judgement.
The amendments moved by the opposition parties to the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, were negated in the Upper House.
The Supreme Court, in a writ petition, declared that the appointment of CEC and ECs shall be made by the President on the basis of advice tendered by a committee consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha or the leader of the largest opposition party in the House and the Chief Justice of India. Meghwal said judgment had noted that the norm provided by the Supreme Court will continue to hold good till a law is made by the Parliament.
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