PM Modi, Rahul Gandhi and a Union Minister will be included in the selection committee
New Delhi. PM Narendra Modi’s leader selection committee will hold a meeting for the appointment of the new Chief Election Commissioner next week. The current Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar is retiring on 18 February. According to sources, the selection committee will include PM Modi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and a Union Minister nominated by PM. The meeting can be held on 16 or 17 February.
Shortlist names will be placed in the meeting. The selection committee will recommend a name by finalizing it. On the recommendation of the committee, the President will appoint the Chief Election Commissioner. The current Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar is followed by the most senior Election Commissioner Dnyanesh Kumar, whose term is till 26 January 2029. The other Election Commissioner is Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
Explain that for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner, the three -member committee of a Union Minister appointed by the PM, Leader of Opposition and PM will recommend the appointment of the Election Commissioner and the Chief Election Commissioner. Earlier, the search committee shortlisted five names. One of these names finalizes the selection committee for the Chief Election Commissioner. According to the law, the candidate should be an officer of the Secretary-level of the Government of India or has been. He should be honest, fair and a person with election management and operation.
The Supreme Court will hear the petition on February 19, challenging the new law made for the appointment of Election Commissioner and Chief Election Commissioner. The Chief Justice was removed in the appointment process of Election Commissioners under the 2023 law. The committee appointing under the new law has the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and a Union Minister. The petitioners argue that the Election Commission should be kept free from political and executive intervention to ensure independent and fair elections.
