Selecting Election Commissioners

It refers to Chief Election Commissioner SY Qureshi endorsing views of his predecessor Navin Chawla that a Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) should not be entitled to recommend removal of any Election Commissioner (EC) enjoying equal power with CEC. His demand for auto-elevation of senior-most EC at post of CEC is also justified. But at the same time rule should be to appoint Election Commissioners compulsorily with consensus between Prime Minister and Opposition Leader.

Background of whole issue is a (rejected) recommendation by the then CEC N Gopalawasmay (considered BJP favourite) for removal of Navin Chawla (considered Congress favourite) from post of EC, who was later promoted as CEC. If system of appointing Election Commissioners with consent of Opposition Leader would have been there, no such controversy involving important post of CEC would have ever emerged.

It is regretted that neither of political parties or alliances having ruled India ever thought of a procedure which could make appointment of Election Commissioners through consensus between Prime Minister and Opposition Leader to ensure unchallenged neutrality and impartiality. Such a system of appointment through consensus has by-and-large worked well for posts of Information Commissioners and Chief Vigilance Commissioner except in case of PJ Thomas. System of auto-elevation of senior-most Information Commissioner as Chief Information Commissioner should also be there.