The Centre has said that the Bill complies with the Supreme Court’s directive that Parliament create a legislation in this area. The court had ruled that the selection committee it had suggested would remain in effect up until a statute was enacted.
Source: Zee Business
The Bill appears to be an effort by the government to maintain control over the appointment of senior poll panel personnel with assembly elections scheduled for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana later this year and the Lok Sabha elections just nine months away. The statute stipulates that two of the committee’s three members will come from the government, providing that entity an unfair advantage.
The appointment of CECs and Election Commissioners by succeeding Union administrations has often been characterised by a lack of openness over the years. The Supreme Court’s March decision had emphasised the need to protect the CEC and Election Commissioner offices from executive meddling in order to enable the Election Commission (EC) to operate freely as a constitutional authority.
Source: CNN- News 18
The proposed Bill violates both the text and the spirit of the court’s decision by attempting to change the make-up of the selection panel. The new Bill requires an immediate assessment because it poses a risk of tainting the selection process for important EC positions.
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