Bill regulating appointment of top election officials to be introduced in Lok Sabha today

A contentious bill regarding the appointment and service terms of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners will be introduced in Lok Sabha today. On December 13, the bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha.

Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal will introduce the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023.

The Rajya Sabha passed the controversial bill on Tuesday that governs the terms of service and appointment of India’s top election officials. The bill solidified the executive’s control over the Election Commission of India (ECI) months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and incited opposition protests.

The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, was introduced several months after the Supreme Court established a provisional process that comprised the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India (CJI) in the selection panel. The new bill gives the government a 2-1 majority on the panel by substituting a Cabinet minister for CJI.

Before the March 2 ruling by the Supreme Court, with the President’s approval, the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners were appointed by the PM and the Council of Ministers. The court stated in its ruling that a law governing the selection of CECs and ECs was necessary because at the time there was no such system in place.

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