The Centre on Thursday tabled in the Rajya Sabha a contentious bill that seeks to replace the Chief Justice of India with a cabinet minister in the panel set up for selection and appointment of chief election commissioners and election commissioners. The move is speculated to trigger a new tension between the Executive and the Judiciary.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 in the Upper House in the post-lunch session.
It has been reported that several Opposition parties including the Congress and AAP have strongly opposed the bill and criticised the Centre of diluting a Constitution bench order.
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The bill reportedly proposes that the recruitment of the polling officers shall be done by the President on the recommendation of a panel comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister will chair the panel, it says.
It is quite evident that the bill clearly aims to dilute the Supreme Court's March 2023 judgment in which a Constitution bench held that the appointment of Chief Election Commissioners and Election Commissioners shall be done by the President on the advice of a panel comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India.
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This Bill sets the stage for a fresh confrontation between the Supreme Court and the Centre.
