Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to chair the first meeting aimed at appointing a new Election Commissioner to replace Anup Chandra Pandey, whose term as the Election Commissioner of India concludes upon his retirement on 15 February. The meeting, conducted under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023, underscores the significance of the appointment process in upholding the integrity and impartiality of India’s electoral system.
The selection committee, comprising Prime Minister Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, is expected to convene to discuss the replacement of Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey. Government sources familiar with the matter indicated that Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and Congress’s floor leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, are likely to attend the meeting at the PM’s residential office at 7:30 pm.
This appointment marks a significant milestone under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023, which establishes a new framework for the appointment process. Previously, all members of the Election Commission of India, including the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners, were appointed by the President of India on the advice of the government.
Under the new Act, the selection committee, comprising the Prime Minister, a Union Minister nominated by him, and the Leader of the Opposition or leader of the single largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha, is tasked with recommending a candidate to the President. The selection process involves two committees: a three-member selection committee led by the Prime Minister and a three-member search committee headed by the Law Minister and two secretary-level officers.
The search committee is responsible for recommending five names to the selection committee, which has the authority to select commissioners from outside the recommended list as well. Despite the passage of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act in the Rajya Sabha on 12 December, the Opposition staged a walkout before the voice vote, citing concerns over the bill’s provisions being “undemocratic.” However, the Modi government defended the bill, asserting its alignment with the directives of the top court. The bill was subsequently enacted into law on 2 January 2024.
The ongoing appointment process is significant, particularly as the Election Commission of India is currently engaged in preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It underscores the importance of maintaining the independence and impartiality of the electoral process, ensuring fair and transparent elections in the world’s largest democracy.