In a recent development, Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu have been announced as the new Election Commissioners. This decision was made after a meeting of the Election Commission. The names of both officers were finalized during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The selection committee, based on recommendations, will appoint two members to the Election Commission, according to President Draupadi Murmu.
Adhir Ranjan Choudhary Disagrees
After the selection committee’s meeting to choose the Election Commissioners, Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, the leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, expressed his discontent. Choudhary stated that the government holds the majority in this committee, indicating a lack of consensus in the selection process.
Who is Gyanesh Kumar, the New Election Commissioner?
Gyanesh Kumar, a 1988 batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, retired as the Secretary of the Cooperative Ministry. He was posted in the Ministry of Home Affairs during the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Who is Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, the New Election Commissioner?
Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, also a 1988 batch IAS officer, hails from the Uttarakhand cadre. He served as the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand and later as the Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India.
Discussion on Six Names
The selection committee deliberated on six names for the positions of Election Commissioners. Among these were Utpal Kumar Singh, Pradeep Kumar Tripathi, Gyanesh Kumar, Indivir Pandey, Sukhbir Singh, and Gangadhar Rahat.
PM Modi-Led Selection Committee’s Meeting
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the committee met to finalize the appointments. Home Minister Amit Shah and Adhir Ranjan Choudhary were also present. Choudhary emphasized the importance of involving the Chief Justice of India in the selection process.
Appointment by President Murmu
President Draupadi Murmu will appoint two members to the Election Commission based on the committee’s recommendations. These will be the first appointments under the new law, which empowers a three-member selection committee to make appointments even not shortlisted by the committee.
Resignations of Anoop Chandra Pandey and Arun Goyal
Anoop Chandra Pandey retired on February 14, and Arun Goyal resigned suddenly on March 8, leaving vacancies in the Election Commission. Currently, only Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar remains in office.
Previous Selection Process Arrangement
Before the recent enactment of the new law, the appointments of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners were made by the President on the government’s recommendation, traditionally appointing the senior-most member as the Chief Election Commissioner.
