New Delhi, India

India's Lok Sabha on Thursday (Dec 21), with most of the Opposition members suspended from the House, passed a Bill which established a new mechanism for the Chief Election Commissioners and Election Commissioners' appointment.

The Rajya Sabha had earlier approved the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023. The legislation has now been cleared by the both the houses of the parliament.

The bill will now be presented to Indian President Droupadi Murmu for her assent. Amid the discussion on the legislation in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Indian Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said that the 1991 Act on the top poll officer's service conditions was a half-baked attempt and the current Bill has covered all the aspects which were left out by the previous legislation. With a voice vote, the Bill was then passed.

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After objections from various quarters, the legislation underwent many important changes.

Opposition criticises legislation

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However, the opposition parties are not happy with the changes and said that the new mechanism would compromise the poll panel's independence.

India's Supreme Court, earlier this year, ruled that election commissioners should be appointed after taking advice from a panel comprising the Leader of the Opposition, the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India.

The landmark judgment was aimed at insulating the top election body from political interference. However, the court said that the judgment will hold good till a new law is introduced by the government.

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The government, in the new legislation, replaced the chief justice with a union minister. The Opposition has alleged that this will give greater power to the government on the appointment of top poll officers and will also compromise the poll body's autonomy.

Amid the discussion over the Bill in Rajya Sabha, Congress MP Randeep Surjewala stated that the fearlessness, autonomy and fairness of electoral machinery and democracy in India has been crushed.

Watch: Indian Parliament: Record suspension of 141 MPs in a single day

"Modi government has attacked the democracy of India. The autonomy, fearlessness and fairness of India's democracy and electoral machinery have been crushed by a bulldozer," he added.

The former poll officers had also protested over the proposal of stripping the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners of the status of Supreme Court judges and making their rank and salary on par with an officer of Cabinet Secretary-rank. Later, the government decided to undo this change.

(With inputs from agencies)