<p>New Delhi: With Rajiv Kumar's tenure as <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/chief-election-commissioner">Chief Election Commissioner </a>ending in days, Prime Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/narendra-modi">Narendra Modi</a>-led selection committee will meet here on Monday (February 17) to choose a new head for the poll body.</p><p>The high-level panel includes Home Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/amit-shah">Amit Shah</a> and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/rahul-gandhi">Rahul Gandhi </a>and would choose the new CEC from a panel of five names proposed by the Search Committee headed by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. The selection panel can also consider any other person than those suggested by the Search Committee. </p>.CEC Rajiv Kumar says poll data system robust, nothing can go wrong.<p>The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office Act, 2023 says that the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and a Union Minister nominated by the Prime Minister as members of the Selection panel. The provisions of the Act were first used for choosing a CEC while selecting incumbent Election Commissioners.</p><p>Last time, Shah was the union minister who was part of the panel when Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Sandhu were chosen as Election Commissioners. A petition challenging the amended law that lays down the procedure for appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners is listed before the Supreme Court for hearing a day after Kumar demits office on Tuesday.</p>.'Avoid fake narratives, divisive campaign': CEC Rajiv Kumar to political parties.<p>Kumar (62), a former IAS officer of Kerala cadre who had played a key role in setting up the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Theertha Kshetra Trust when he was in the Ministry of Home Affairs as Additional Secretary and headed the Jammu and Kashmir division in 2019 when Article 370 was revoked, is said to be the front-runner for the top post in Election Commissioner. </p><p>The senior-most Election Commissioner, so far, has been elevated as CEC but with a Supreme Court mandated selection process in place, the government would have to consider other names too before finalising a name. In the poll body, Kumar is the senior most after outgoing CEC Kumar and has a tenure till 26 January, 2029.</p><p>If Kumar is elevated as CEC, the panel will also have to choose an Election Commissioner. As per the law, the CEC and ECs will be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Selection Committee.</p><p>The CEC and 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.</p>
<p>New Delhi: With Rajiv Kumar's tenure as <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/chief-election-commissioner">Chief Election Commissioner </a>ending in days, Prime Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/narendra-modi">Narendra Modi</a>-led selection committee will meet here on Monday (February 17) to choose a new head for the poll body.</p><p>The high-level panel includes Home Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/amit-shah">Amit Shah</a> and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/rahul-gandhi">Rahul Gandhi </a>and would choose the new CEC from a panel of five names proposed by the Search Committee headed by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. The selection panel can also consider any other person than those suggested by the Search Committee. </p>.CEC Rajiv Kumar says poll data system robust, nothing can go wrong.<p>The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office Act, 2023 says that the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and a Union Minister nominated by the Prime Minister as members of the Selection panel. The provisions of the Act were first used for choosing a CEC while selecting incumbent Election Commissioners.</p><p>Last time, Shah was the union minister who was part of the panel when Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Sandhu were chosen as Election Commissioners. A petition challenging the amended law that lays down the procedure for appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners is listed before the Supreme Court for hearing a day after Kumar demits office on Tuesday.</p>.'Avoid fake narratives, divisive campaign': CEC Rajiv Kumar to political parties.<p>Kumar (62), a former IAS officer of Kerala cadre who had played a key role in setting up the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Theertha Kshetra Trust when he was in the Ministry of Home Affairs as Additional Secretary and headed the Jammu and Kashmir division in 2019 when Article 370 was revoked, is said to be the front-runner for the top post in Election Commissioner. </p><p>The senior-most Election Commissioner, so far, has been elevated as CEC but with a Supreme Court mandated selection process in place, the government would have to consider other names too before finalising a name. In the poll body, Kumar is the senior most after outgoing CEC Kumar and has a tenure till 26 January, 2029.</p><p>If Kumar is elevated as CEC, the panel will also have to choose an Election Commissioner. As per the law, the CEC and ECs will be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Selection Committee.</p><p>The CEC and 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.</p>
