APPOINTMENT
OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS - POLITY
News:
Sukhbir Sandhu, Gyanesh
Kumar Appointed New Election Commissioners, Says Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
What's
in the news?
●
Bureaucrats Sukhbir Sandhu and Gyanesh
Kumar have been appointed election commissioners by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi-led panel.
Constitutional
Framework for Appointment:
●
The appointment of Election Commissioners
is governed by Article 324 of the
Indian Constitution, which vests the power of superintendence, direction, and
control of elections in the ECI.
●
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and
Election Commissioners (ECs) are appointed
by the President of India.
●
Historically, this process has been under
the exclusive purview of the executive, but recent developments have sought to
make the process more inclusive and transparent.
Appointment
Process:
The Chief Election
Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of
Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, outlines the current procedure for
appointments.
●
The President appoints the CEC and ECs
based on the recommendations of a
Selection Committee, which includes the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet
Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition or leader of the largest opposition
party in the Lok Sabha.
●
A Search
Committee, headed by the Law Minister, proposes a panel of names to the
Selection Committee, ensuring a thorough and rigorous selection process.
Qualifications
for Appointment:
●
While there are no specific qualifications prescribed by the Constitution for the
appointment of Election Commissioners, conventionally, senior civil servants of
the rank of Cabinet Secretary or equivalent are appointed to these positions.
●
This practice ensures that individuals
with significant administrative experience and a deep understanding of the
electoral process are at the helm of the ECI.
Eligibility
and Salary:
●
Eligibility for these posts includes
holding (or having held) a position equivalent
to the Secretary to the central government.
●
The salary and conditions of service for
the CEC and ECs will be equivalent to that of the Cabinet Secretary. Previously, it was equivalent to the salary of a
Supreme Court Judge.
Role:
●
The role of the Election Commissioner is
pivotal in upholding the sanctity of elections.
Functions:
The main functions of the
Election Commissioner in India are as follows.
●
To supervise, direct, control and conduct
all elections to Parliament and State Legislatures as also to the office of the
President and Vice- President of India.
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To set down general rules for election.
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To determine constituencies and to prepare
electoral rolls.
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To give credit to political parties.
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To grant recognition to political parties.
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To allot symbols to the recognised
political parties and candidates of election.
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To fix dates for the election.
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To appoint a polling officer for the
constituency.
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Ensures the adherence to the Model Code of
Conduct, among other responsibilities.