A selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet in New Delhi on Monday to finalise the name of the next chief election commissioner (CEC), sources told news agency PTI on Friday.
The new CEC will oversee the conduct of the Bihar Assembly Elections and others, including Bengal and Tamil Nadu next year.
The panel will consist of PM Modi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. The attendees will meet at the prime minister's official residence on Monday ahead of the retirement of incumbent Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on February 18.
The panel will recommend a name from among the candidates shortlisted by a search committee. The president will then appoint the next CEC based on the recommendation, the report said.
After Rajiv Kumar, Gyanesh Kumar is the senior-most election commissioner. His tenure is till January 26, 2029. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu is the other election commissioner.
So far, the senior-most election commissioner (EC) has been elevated as CEC following the retirement of the incumbent.
However, after a new law on appointments of the CEC and ECs came into force in 2024, a search committee shortlists the names of five secretary-level officers for consideration by a prime minister-led panel for appointment to the posts.
Besides the CEC, a new EC could also be appointed to fill the vacancy created by Rajiv Kumar's retirement.
According to the law, the CEC and ECs are appointed by the president on the recommendation of a selection committee headed by the prime minister and comprising the Lok Sabha opposition leader and a Union Cabinet minister to be nominated by the prime minister.
As per the law, the CEC and other 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. In other words, serving and retired secretary-level officials can be appointed as the CEC and ECs.