CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER

CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER

Subject: Polity

Context: Recently, the President has appointed Shri Sushil Chandra, the senior-most Election Commissioner, as the Chief Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India.

Concept:

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC)

• The Election Commission shall consist of the chief election commissioner and such number of other election commissioners, if any, as the president may from time to time fix.
• The appointment of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners shall be made by the president.
• The president may also appoint after consultation with the election commission such regional commissioners as he may consider necessary to assist the election commission.

Conditions of service and Tenure of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC)

• The conditions of service and tenure of office of the election commissioners and the regional commissioners shall be determined by the president.
• The CEC and the two other election commissioners have equal powers and receive equal salary, allowances and other perquisites, which are similar to those of a judge of the Supreme Court.
• They hold office for a term of six years or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• They can resign at any time or can also be removed before the expiry of their term.

Independence of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC)

• The chief election commissioner is provided with the security of tenure.
• He cannot be removed from his office except in same manner and on the same grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court.
• He can be removed by the president on the basis of a resolution passed to that effect by both the Houses of Parliament with special majority.
• He does not hold his office till the pleasure of the president, though he is appointed by him.
• The service conditions of the chief election commissioner cannot be varied to his disadvantage after his appointment.
• Any other election commissioner or a regional commissioner cannot be removed from office except on the recommendation of the chief election commissioner.