Aam Aadmi Get together MP Raghav Chadha on Tuesday expressed his opposition to a invoice associated to the appointment and repair phrases of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and election commissioners, saying that the brand new invoice will permit the ruling BJP to nominate ‘sure males’ as members of the ballot panel.
In the course of the debate on Chief Election Commissioner and Different Election Commissioners (Appointment, Situations of Service and Time period of Workplace) Invoice, 2023, Chadha mentioned that, if the invoice was handed, the BJP might even make their spokesperson Sambit Patra the CEC, including that it will be “dangerous” if he was given the put up.
“They have removed the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel and replaced him with a cabinet minister. This gives the government two votes. With the 2:1 majority, the government can take all the decisions and appoint whomever they want. They can make Sambit Patra as CEC. How dangerous will it be if he becomes chief election commissioner,” he mentioned within the Rajya Sabha.
Chadha additional mentioned, “This bill is illegal. You cannot overturn the Supreme Court judgment without changing the basis of the judgement. This bill is against the basic structure of the Constitution. The basic structure of the Constitution is of free and fair election.”
BILL ON APPOINTMENT OF ELECTION COMMISSIONERS
Rajya Sabha on Tuesday handed a invoice to manage the appointment and repair phrases of Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners, incorporating key amendments like retaining their standing at par with Supreme Court docket judges, upgrading the search committee and inserting a brand new clause to guard them from courtroom circumstances whereas discharging their official duties.
When the invoice was launched within the Rajya Sabha in August this 12 months, opposition events and a few former CECs had objected to the members of the ballot panel being equated to the cupboard secretary. They’d claimed that the transfer would compromise the independence of the establishment.
At current, the CEC and fellow ECs benefit from the standing a Supreme Court docket choose. By bringing the modification, the federal government has retained that standing.
Replying to the controversy in Rajya Sabha at this time, Legislation Minister Arjun Ram Meghwa mentioned some amendments have been introduced in for rectification of the construction of the search committee, which was earlier proposed to be beneath the chairmanship of the cupboard secretary.
As an alternative, it is going to be beneath the chairmanship of the regulation minister with two Union secretaries as members, he added.
(With PTI inputs)