The Indian government has formed a special committee to help find the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). This committee is led by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and includes the finance secretary and the secretary from the Department of Personnel and Training.
In the past, the most senior election commissioner would automatically become the CEC when the current one retired. But now, a new law requires this committee to choose five names of high-ranking officials for the government to consider for the CEC and other election commissioners.
Rajiv Kumar, the current CEC, will step down on February 18 because he is turning 65. The new law has been applied for the first time to appoint a CEC. It was also used last year to appoint other commissioners, Gyannesh Kumar and SS Sandhu, after previous ones retired or resigned.
According to the new law, the CEC and other commissioners will be picked by the President based on the recommendations of a selection committee. This committee includes the Prime Minister, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, and a Union Cabinet minister chosen by the Prime Minister.
After Rajiv Kumar, Gyanesh Kumar will be the next senior-most election commissioner, serving until January 26, 2029. The search committee was set up on January 17 by the law ministry, and they might meet during the upcoming Budget Session of Parliament starting on January 31.
Leave a Reply