Centre forms panel to choose next CEC: Sources

The process of appointing the next chief election commissioner was set into motion with the government forming a search committee under Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to shortlist names for the next Election Commission chief, sources said on Monday, citing an order.

The finance and the Department of Personnel and Training secretaries are the other two members of the panel.

So far, the senior-most election commissioner (EC) was elevated as chief election commissioner (CEC) following the retirement of the incumbent.

However, after a new law on appointments of the CEC and ECs came into force last year, a search committee shorlists names of five secretary-level officers for consideration of a prime minister-led panel for appointment as the CEC and ECs.

CEC Rajiv Kumar demits office on February 18 upon attaining 65 years of age.

Besides the CEC, a new EC could also be appointed to fill the vacancy created by Rajiv Kumar's retirement.

While provisions of the 'Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023' are being applied for the first time to appoint a CEC, it was used to appoint ECs Gyanesh Kumar and S S Sandhu to fill the vacancies created by the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey and the resignation of Arun Goel last year.

According to the law, the CEC and ECs will be appointed by the president on the recommendation of a selection committee headed by the prime minister and comprising the Lok Sabha opposition leader and a Union Cabinet minister to be nominated by the prime minister.

After Rajiv Kumar, Gyanesh Kumar is the senior-most EC. His tenure is till January 26, 2029.

The sources said the same set of candidates could also be used appoint a new EC.

They said the search committee was constituted on January 17 by an order issued by the Union law ministry and it could meet during the Budget Session of Parliament that begins on January 31.

According to the law, the CEC and other ECs will be appointed from among persons who are holding or have held a post equivalent to the rank of secretary to the government of India and will be persons of integrity with knowledge of and experience in management and conduct of elections.

In other words, serving and retired secretary-level officials can be appointed as the CEC and ECs.