NEW DELHI: The Union government has reportedly decided to convene a high-powered committee for the selection of election commissioners on March 14.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the meeting to discuss and ultimately approve the appointments for the vacant positions of two election commissioners, resulting from recent retirements and resignations.
Sources revealed on Monday that the Law Ministry has issued a revised communication to all panel members, rescheduling the meeting from March 15 to 14. This adjustment comes in light of the current situation at the Election Commission of India, which now operates with only one Chief Election Commissioner following the departure of two commissioners — Arun Goel, who resigned on Friday, and Anup Chandra Pandey, who retired on February 14.
The selection panel, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, includes a Union minister and the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, as its members. Upon receiving recommendations from the committee, the President of India will appoint the new election commissioners. Additionally, it was disclosed that while the notice for selecting one election commissioner was initially dispatched on Saturday afternoon, Goel’s resignation was formally announced in the evening. The revised notice for the selection of two election commissioners was issued by the Law Ministry on Monday evening.
Currently, CEC Rajiv Kumar is the sole member leading the poll body. Notably, Ashok Lavasa, another former EC, resigned as election commissioner in August 2020, citing disagreements with certain decisions.