Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023
Parliament enacted this law in December 2023, replacing the earlier framework under which the appointment of the CEC was effectively at the President's (i.e., Council of Ministers') discretion. The law was passed after the Supreme Court's judgment in Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India (March 2023), which directed that CEC appointments be made by a committee until Parliament enacted a law.
- Selection Committee under the 2023 Act: Prime Minister (Chair), Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM — a 2:1 ratio that gives the government effective control.
- The Supreme Court in Anoop Baranwal (2023) had directed that the committee include the Chief Justice of India; the 2023 Act replaced the CJI with a Cabinet Minister, which was criticised by opposition parties and legal experts.
- Term: Six years or age 65, whichever is earlier; no re-appointment.
- Qualifications: Must have held a post equivalent to Secretary to the Government of India.
- The 2023 Act removed the CJI from the selection panel — this backdrop is relevant to opposition claims that the appointment process lacks sufficient independence.
● Tracked since March 12, 2026 · last seen May 14, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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