The Central government is set to introduce legislation that would exclude the Chief Justice of India (CJI) as a member of the selection committee that will choose top election officers.
No Chief Justice In Selection Panel For Election Commissioners
On the recommendation of a panel comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, and a Union Cabinet minister nominated by the Prime Minister, the new bill to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha proposes that the President will appoint the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other election commissioners.
The bill is seen as a departure from the current system, which requires the CEC and other election commissioners to be appointed on the advice of the panel comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Chief Justice of India.
The Supreme Court of India upheld this system in a 2023 judgment, stating that it was necessary to ensure the independence of the Election Commission.
