EC quits, Commission down to one; PM panel to meet next week to fill vacancies

  • March 10, 2024
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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EC quits, Commission down to one; PM panel to meet next week to fill vacancies

Subject: Polity

Section: National Body

Context:

  • Barely days before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were expected to be announced, Election Commissioner Arun Goel resigned.

More on news:

  • Goel’s resignation as Election Commissioner is only the third instance in the poll watchdog’s history.

About Election Commission:

  • The Election Commission of India is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering Union and State election processes in India.
  • The body administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Legislative Assemblies in India, and the offices of the President and Vice President in the country.
  • Part XV of the Indian constitution deals with elections, and establishes a commission for these matters.
  • Article 324 to 329 of the constitution deals with powers, function, tenure, eligibility, etc of the commission and the member

Appointment of Election Commissioners:

  • The CEC and ECs will be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of a Selection Committee.
  • Appointment of the Commission:  The Commission will be appointed by the President, upon the recommendation of the Selection Committee.
  • The Selection Committee will comprise the Prime Minister, Cabinet Minister, and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha (or leader of the single largest opposition party).
  • A Search Committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary will suggest five names to the Selection Committee.
  • The Selection Committee may consider any person other than those suggested by the Search Committee.
  • Recommendations of the Selection Committee will be valid even when there is a vacancy in this Committee.
  • Eligibility for the posts includes holding (or having held) a post equivalent to the Secretary to the central government.
  • The salary and conditions of service of the CEC and ECs will be equivalent to that of Cabinet Secretary.  Under the 1991 Act, it was equivalent to the salary of a Supreme Court Judge.

Term and reappointment:

  • Members of the Election Commission will hold office for six years, or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
  • Members of the Commission cannot be re-appointed.
  • If an EC is appointed as a CEC, the overall period of the term may not be more than six years.

Salary and pension:  

  • The salary, allowances, and other conditions of service of the CEC and ECs will be equivalent to that of the Cabinet Secretary.  
  • They will have an option to draw pension and other retirement benefits from the service that they belonged to previously.

Removal:

  • The CEC may be removed in the same manner and on the same grounds as a Supreme Court Judge.  
  • ECs may be removed only upon the recommendation of the CEC.
PM panel to meet next week to fill vacancies Polity