Search committee set up to shortlist names for next Chief Election Commissioner: Sources

The government has set up a search committee under Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal to shortlist names for the appointment of the next chief election commissioner, 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 the committee for appointment as the CEC and ECs.

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

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 Gyannesh Kumar and SS Sandhu to fill 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 election commissioner. His tenure is till January 26, 2029.

Sources 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.