In a controversial move, the Union government on Thursday introduced a Bill removing the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from a panel to select the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. Instead of the CJI, the three-member panel would now consist of a Cabinet Minister besides the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Prime Minister who would head it.
The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, was introduced by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal in the Rajya Sabha amid din over protests on Manipur.
The Opposition was quick to point out that this will put a question mark on the neutrality of the Election Commission (EC) as the selection panel would effectively have two members of the BJP – the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Minister.