ECI Embraces Newly Appointed Election Commissioners

The Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, extended a warm welcome to the recently appointed Election Commissioners, Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, who officially joined the Commission on Friday, according to a statement from a spokesperson of the electoral body. The announcement was made on X’s platform, where the spokesperson mentioned, “CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar welcomed the two newly-appointed Election Commissioners, Shri Gyanesh Kumar & Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu who joined the Commission today.”

Both Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were nominated as election commissioners by the selection panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday. However, there were dissenting voices during this process, notably from Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in the Lok Sabha, who expressed concerns about the government’s nominations for the Election Commissioner positions.

Chowdhury criticized the selection process, highlighting what he perceived as flaws in the procedure followed for appointing Election Commissioners. He pointed out discrepancies in the number of names provided and raised issues regarding the absence of certain authorities in the decision-making process.

Gyanesh Kumar recently retired as the secretary of the cooperation ministry in February, while Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, a 1988 batch IAS officer, retired from the post of Chief Secretary of the Government of Uttarakhand on January 31, 2024.

The appointment and service terms of Chief Election Commissioners and Election Commissioners are now regulated by a bill passed by the Rajya Sabha on December 12. The bill replaces the previous Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991. According to this bill, the President will appoint the CEC and ECs based on the recommendation of a Selection Committee comprising the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition or the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha.

The primary task for the newly appointed Election Commissioners will be to ensure the smooth conduct of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections scheduled for April-May this year.