Rajya Sabha Passes Election Commissioner Appointment, Terms Of Service Bill After Law Minister Explained Its Need

On Tuesday (12 December), a bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha to oversee the appointment and terms of service for the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.

The bill titled "The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023," was successfully approved in the Upper House of Parliament through a voice vote, The New Indian Express reported.

The legislation, first presented in the House on 10 August, aims to supersede the 1991 Act. The previous Act lacked a provision concerning the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners (ECs).

In response to the discussion, the Law Minister, Arjun Ram Meghwal, stated that the introduction of the new law was necessitated due to certain shortcomings present in the previous Act.

He also refuted claims from the Opposition suggesting that the introduction of the bill is an attempt to bypass a Supreme Court ruling related to the appointments of the CEC and the ECs.

He stated that it aligns with the Supreme Court's ruling and also serves to uphold the separation of powers as embedded in the Constitution.