The authorities has determined to retain the standing of CEC and different election commissioners on par with judges of the Supreme Court following protests by opposition events and former chief election commissioners. At current, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC)Â and Election Commission (EC)Â benefit from the standing of a Supreme Court decide.
The Chief Election Commissioner and different Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 launched within the Rajya Sabha in August this 12 months had proposed to bring the standing of the CEC and different ECs on par with the Cabinet Secretary.
The opposition events and a few former CECs had opposed the move, saying it’s going to go in opposition to the independence of the establishment. Now the federal government has determined to move amendments to the Bill pending within the Rajya Sabha.
One of the amendments which Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will move states that “The CEC and other commissioners shall be paid a salary which is equal to the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court.” According to one other amendment, a search committee headed by the Union Law Minister comprising two different members not beneath the rank of secretary to the federal government of India, shall put together a panel of 5 individuals for the choice committee.
In the invoice, it was proposed that the Cabinet Secretary will head the search committee. Through this amendment, the federal government has upgraded the search committee by changing the cupboard secretary with the legislation minister. The official amendment additionally seeks to insert a brand new clause within the invoice to shield CEC and ECs from courtroom circumstances whereas discharging their official duties.
It states that however something contained in another legislation in the meanwhile in power, no courtroom shall entertain or proceed any civil or felony proceedings in opposition to any and different one who is or was a Chief Election Commissioner or an Election Commissioner. The new clause comes in opposition to the backdrop of the Telangana High Court putting beneath suspension a particular classes decide in connection with a “direction” given by him to police for registering an FIR in opposition to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and several other others, saying the decide acted in “undue haste”.
Another proposed amendment make it clear that the chief election commissioner shall not be faraway from his workplace besides in like method and on the like grounds as a decide of the Supreme Court. It additionally states that the opposite Election Commissioner shall not be faraway from workplace besides on the advice of the Chief Election Commissioner.
These two clarifications are in line with constitutional provisions talked about in Article 324 dealing with the Election Commission, a former ballot panel functionary identified. The invoice is listed for consideration and passage within the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
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