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
No Comments
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.