As the Lok Sabha elections approach, the pivotal role of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in upholding India's status as the largest democracy becomes increasingly evident. The Election Commissioners of India form part of the Election Commission of India, which is constitutionally mandated to ensure the conduct of transparent and impartial elections in the country. The appointment of an election commissioner is made by the President of India based on the recommendation of a three-member selection committee chaired by the Prime Minister.
Composition of Election Commission:
| DESIGNATION |
NAME |
| Chief Election Commissioner |
Rajiv Kumar |
| Election Commissioners |
Gyanesh Kumar
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu
|
Perks and Salary
The compensation and allowances of the Chief election commissioner and the other two election commissioners are at par with the judges of the Supreme Court of India.
- The current salary of the Election Commissioners stands at Rs 350,000 per month.
- CEC and ECs get three Leave Travel Concessions in a year for self, spouse and dependent members of the family. CEC and ECs are entitled to get a monthly sumptuary allowance of Rs 34000/- which is completely tax exempted. CEC and ECs draw salary and perks as per Section 3 of the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991
- The term of CEC and ECs is for a period of 6 years from the date of joining or till the age of 65 years whichever is earlier.
Role and Powers
The Election Commission of India, empowered by Article 324 of the Constitution, plays a crucial role in conducting impartial elections for national, state legislatures, President, and Vice-President positions. Its authority extends to ensuring free and fair elections across various levels. Election Commissioners are usually members of the Indian Civil Service. Comprising a Chief Election Commissioner and two election commissioners, the commission operates on a collective decision-making basis, with decisions made based on the majority opinion among the three commissioners.
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