News Analysis India

Tag: Chief Election Commissioner

  • INDIA bloc again seeks meeting with CEC over VVPATs

    New Delhi: The Congress sent yet another letter to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar, requesting for a meeting of the INDIA bloc leaders with him to discuss their demands such as the voters’ self-checking voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) slips and their larger use in the Lok Sabha election.

    The party also reminded the CEC that he has not given them time for a meeting despite several requests.

    “On December 20, 2023, we again requested for an appointment with the ECI (Election Commission of India) to discuss and provide suggestions on the use of VVPATs based on a resolution passed at a meeting of leaders of INDIA parties held the previous day,” All India Congress Committee general Secretary Jairam Ramesh said in his December 30 letter on behalf of the Congress to the CEC. “We have been trying to meet with the ECI to hand over a copy of this resolution and have a discussion but have not been successful so far in doing so. I once again make a request for an opportunity for a 3-4 member team of the INDIA party leaders to meet with you and your colleagues and take a few minutes to put forward our point of view on VVPATs. Surely this is a perfectly reasonable and justifiable request.”Ramesh also reminded Kumar about the opposition submitting a memorandum to the ECI about concerns over electronic voting machines (EVMs) on August 9 and then making a series of requests on August 9, 10, 16, 18 and 23 for an opposition leaders’ meeting with ECI representatives. He said all that came in response was a “generic clarification” on August 23, in which the ECI told the opposition to refer to the standard FAQs on EVMs available on the ECI website.

  • With Nearly No Opposition, Lok Sabha Passes Bill To Appoint CEC, Election Commissioners |

    New Delhi: In a significant move, the Lok Sabha passed the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 on Thursday. Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal underscored that the bill, prompted by a Supreme Court ruling, seeks to regulate the appointment and service terms of the CEC and election commissioners.

     

    Lok Sabha passes the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023.
    — ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2023

     

    Key Provisions And Changes

    The bill encompasses crucial facets such as appointment procedures, qualifications, the establishment of Search and Selection Committees, terms of office, salaries, resignations, removals, leaves, and pensions for the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners. Notably, the legislation addresses the void in the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991, which lacked provisions for qualifications and search committees.

    Meghwal emphasized the Supreme Court’s directive that the President, based on a committee’s advice, appoints the CEC and election commissioners. The committee includes the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, or the leader of the largest opposition party, and the Chief Justice of India. Pending parliamentary legislation, the Supreme Court’s norm remains in force.

    Law Minister’s Clarifications And Amendments

    Meghwal clarified that the bill’s amendment designates the Law Minister, not the cabinet secretary, as the head of the search committee. The President will appoint the CEC and ECs following the Selection Committee’s recommendation, consisting of the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition or the leader of the largest opposition party in Lok Sabha.

    This bill is slated to replace the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991.

    Opposition Slams Centre Over Passage Of Bill In Absence Of MPs

    Despite the bill’s swift approval, major opposition parties refrained from active participation in the debate due to the suspension of 97 members for “misconduct” during the winter session. Opposition members have voiced serious concerns, asserting that this legislation represents “one of the biggest blows to democracy” in the past nine years.

    Congress leaders conveyed their apprehensions, highlighting a perceived shift from ‘electoral credibility’ to ‘elections compromised’ under the Modi government. The passage of this bill marks a pivotal moment in India’s electoral landscape, prompting discussions on its potential impact on democratic processes.

  • Committee will be set up to make process of enlisting transgenders as voters easier: CEC

    Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra Shrikant Deshpande will chair the committee to be set up to make enlisting transgenders as voters easier.

  • Honoured to lead one of the finest institutions gifted by Indian Constitution: CEC Rajiv Kumar

    By IANS

    NEW DELHI: After assuming the charge of 25th Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar on Sunday said that he was honoured to have been given the responsibility to lead one of the finest institutions gifted by the Indian Constitution – the institution that reinforces our democracy.

    He further said that a lot has been done during the last 70 years by the Election Commission to give our citizens free and fair elections, to ensure purity of the electoral rolls, prevent malpractices and enhance the quality of our elections.

    “The Commission will follow the time-tested and democratic methods of consultations and consensus building in bringing about any major reforms responsible under the Constitution, ECI will not shy away from tough decisions”, he said.

    Kumar also said that technology will further be made the major instrument for simplification of processes and practices for bringing about transparency and ease of voter services for better election management and operations.

    Kumar has been serving in ECI as Election Commissioner since September 1, 2020 and during his tenure as Election Commissioner, elections have been held for State Assemblies of Bihar in 2020, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal amidst Covid concerns in March-April 2021 and also elections to Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh recently in early 2022.

    Sushil Chandra relinquished his charge on May 14 after completing his tenure as Chief Election Commissioner of India.

  • Sushil Chandra assumes charge as Chief Election Commissioner

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Sushil Chandra assumed charge as the 24th Chief Election Commissioner on Tuesday.

    Chandra was appointed as the CEC on Monday, the day Sunil Arora demitted office.

    Chandra was appointed as an election commissioner on February 14, 2019, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

    He would demit office on May 14, 2022.

    Under him, the Election Commission (EC) will hold assembly polls in Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

    The term of the assemblies of Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Punjab ends on various dates in March next year.

    The term of the Uttar Pradesh assembly ends on May 14 next year.

    Chandra belongs to the 1980 batch of the Indian Revenue Service.

    He is also an ex-officio member of the Delimitation Commission since February 18, 2020 looking after the process in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

    Having held several posts in the Income Tax Department for nearly 39 years, Chandra was appointed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman on November 1, 2016.

    He spent considerable time as Director of Investigation and Director General of Investigation, Mumbai and Gujarat, respectively followed by his stint as Member (Investigation), CBDT and thereafter assuming the post of Chairman of this apex body.

    “Transparency and purity of political finance are of vital importance for free and fair electoral process and the creation of a level playing field.

    Continuing the crusade that he started as CBDT Chairman against the menace of black money, Chandra was proactive as the erstwhile Election Commissioner in curbing the use of money power that vitiates the electoral process,” the Commission said on Tuesday.

    He has constantly emphasised the concept of “inducement-free” elections and it has become an integral dimension of monitoring the electoral process in all ongoing and forthcoming elections, the EC said.

  • Sushil Chandra appointed as Chief Election Commissioner

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra was on Monday appointed as the next Chief Election Commissioner, the Law Ministry said.

    According to a statement issued by the Legislative Department of the ministry, Chandra will assume charge on April 13. Incumbent Sunil Arora demits office on Monday.

    Chandra was appointed as an election commissioner on February 14, 2019, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. He would demit office on May 14, 2022.

    Under him, the Election Commission would hold assembly polls in Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

    The term of the assemblies of Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Punjab ends on various dates in March next year.

    The term of the Uttar Pradesh assembly ends on May 14 next year. New assemblies have to be constituted before their five year term ends.

  • Sushil Chandra will be the new Chief Election Commissioner of the country, order may be issued at any time

    Sushil Chandra is almost certain to become the Chief Election Commissioner. Let us know that Sushil Chandra was appointed Election Commissioner on 14 February 2019 before the Lok Sabha elections. If sources are to be believed, the order to become their Chief Election Commissioner can be issued at any time. Sushil Chandra will be the new Chief Election Commissioner of the country in place of Sunil Arora.

  • Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra set to be next chief election commissioner

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra is set to become the next chief election commissioner, sources said on Sunday.

    Going by the convention of appointing the senior-most election commissioner as the CEC, the government is learnt to have cleared his name for the top post at Nirvachan Sadan.

    The order of his elevation maybe issued anytime, the sources said. Chandra will assume charge on April 13, a day after incumbent Sunil Arora demits office.

    Chandra was appointed as an election commissioner on February 14, 2019 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. He would demit office on May 14, 2022.

    Under him, the Election Commission would hold assembly polls in Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

    The term of the assemblies of Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Punjab ends on various dates in March next year.

    The term of the Uttar Pradesh assembly ends on May 14 next year. New assemblies have to be constituted before their five year term ends. Chandra was the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes before he joined the poll panel.

  • Central police forces will play a greater role in poll bound states: CEC Sunil Arora

    By PTI
    CHENNAI: In poll bound states, including Tamil Nadu, the Central police forces would play a greater role as part of measures to ensure fair polls and to see that no one took any undue advantage, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said here on Thursday.

    Several measures were being contemplated to ensure inducement free, fair elections to the Tamil Nadu Assembly in view of allegations of inducement of voters in the past and two Special Expenditure Observers would also be deputed, he said.

    The bypoll to the Kanyakumari Lok Sabha seat would be held alongside Assembly polls, he said.

    The seat fell vacant following the death of Congress MP, H Vasanthakumar due to COVID-19 last year.

    The top Election Commission official, wrapping up meetings with senior officials and representatives of political parties here along with his colleagues, expressed confidence of a free, fair and transparent elections.

    In keeping with the best administrative traditions of Tamil Nadu, there shall be no ‘Vellores and RK Nagars,’ he said in an apparent reference to allegations of distribution of cash to voters and the EC’s measures to prevent such attempts.

    It has been decided that for all the five poll bound states including Tamil Nadu, the Central Armed Police Forces coordinator shall be at the apex level of a committee that allocated personnel from one place to the other, Arora said addressing a press conference.

    Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and the Union Territory of neighbouring Puducherry are likely to go to polls in April or May.

    The official said that at the district level, the senior most general observer would be part of the exercise on allocation of personnel.

    “This is a major decision we have already taken. It will be formally conveyed to the Chief Electoral Officers in the next two to three days maximum.”

    The decision follows feedback from political parties and a ‘complaint’ that the personnel were deployed by the state governments “wherever they like,” he noted.

    The Commission is trying to put more forces in every state and the coordinator of the Central forces have been assigned a greater role to play in terms of both deployment and allocation of personnel so that no one took any undue advantage when it came to exercise of franchise through postal ballots, he said.

    Referring to a high level meeting today with Central and state regulatory agencies, answering a question, he said the EC has emphasised a lot about measures to ensure inducement free polls.

    “There are several things we are planning to do and we shall do, but I am sorry to say that it will not be possible for me to share a lot of things in public domain…because we have given instructions and we shall be conducting another meeting with senior officers and enforcement agencies after a week or 10 days virtually to review as to what is the outcome of the meeting we held today.”

    The EC is sensitive to alleged inducements, he asserted and recalled cancellation of polls to Vellore Parliamentary Constituency (2019) and bypolls to RK Nagar Assembly segment (2017), the ‘harshest’ action taken by the commission in any state in respect of such allegations.

    On special observers, he said, “because of money factor of inducement in Tamil Nadu, besides the normal observers we send, we have decided to send Special Expenditure Observers (SEO).”

    This would be in addition to district observers, he noted.

    Such SEOs shall be noted for their integrity and would be of the rank of retired secretaries of the Centre and also former chaipersons of the Central Board of Direct Taxes.

    There shall be at least two SEOs and one of them shall be a very senior person for guidance for Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

    The exercise of deputing SEOs was being done on a state to state basis and not followed necessarily eveywhere while in some states, the special focus would be on law and order front.

    The top official expressed displeasure over the work by some regulatory arms of the Tamil Nadu government ahead of the notification of state polls.

    “When we had the meeting of the regulatory agencies, I must say we were quite unhappy with the overall performance of the state excise department as well as the Special DG enforcement. We have brought the relevant facts to the notice of the Chief Secretary.”

    Since the state has excise revenue of Rs 34,000 crore, he said, “we felt that much more could have been done” vis-a- vis matters like the kind of seizures done.

    “…how many decimal points you have to put after the zero, the honourable excise commissioner was not even able to calculate it.”

    He said the EC was very disappointed about not apprehending the ‘big fish’.

    On this matter, he said they were apprised that during enforcement in a particular seizure of almost Rs two crore, the authorities registered 23,000 to 27,000 cases.

    It meant that these were against the “small guys, some drivers, some couriers, the foot soldiers who were being caught and not the big fish.”

    The EC has sought a special report on this matter from the Additional Chief Secretary Home who also looked after the Finance Department, he noted.

    From the previous 68,324 polling stations in Tamil Nadu, there would be 25,000 more now as per the norms to prevent spread of COVID-19 and in total there shall be 93,000 booths, he said adding it also meant mobilisation of more men and materials.

    As regards arrangements for procurement of COVID-19 related materials, the state Chief Secretary has assured that these would be available on time.

    Asked on likelihood of TN elections being held in April or May and if polls would be conducted in a single phase, he said these would be made known later at the time of announcement of elections.

  • EC teams to visit poll-bound Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry after January 26: CEC Sunil Arora

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Election Commission teams would visit Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry after Republic Day to take stock of poll preparations as the three assemblies enter the final leg of their respective terms, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said on Monday.

    He said the poll panel is preparing to conduct elections in four states — West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Kerala — and the Union Territory of Puducherry in the near future.

    “The Commission also spent four days in Assam and West Bengal…After January 26, we shall be going to Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry,” Arora said in his address to the 11th National Voters’ Day event here.

    The terms of the legislative assemblies of the four states and Puducherry are ending on different dates in May and June, and polls are expected to take place in April-May.

    The Commission — the CEC and fellow Election Commissioners — usually take stock of poll preparedness before announcing schedules of elections.

    But it visited Bihar after announcing poll dates.

    Arora also reiterated the Commission’s determination to conduct safe and secure elections, which has been lauded by democracies across the world.

    Arora also mentioned how tireless efforts of the election machinery ensured that the facility of postal ballot was extended to persons with disabilities, senior citizens above the age of 80 years, and those quarantined due to COVID-19.

    As the Commission prepares for the polls in 2021, the CEC emphasised the importance of the commitment towards redefining election management in a pandemic.

    In his remarks, Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra said the 11th NVD is being celebrated with a view to enhance electoral participation, especially of new voters of the country and empower them as informed, ethical and vigilant voters.

    He said elections in India are gigantic exercise conducted under superintendence, direction and control of the Commission.

    The exercise has its own challenges in terms of sheer scale, size, diversity and complexity besides logistics, aiming for free, fair and transparent elections.

    “Timelines demand strict compliance with little room for any delays and mistakes. That is what makes our elections sacrosanct and model for others,” he said.

    Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar highlighted the scale and vastness of Indian elections.

    He said that despite the complexity of Indian elections, they are conducted meticulously and on schedule.