Involve Opp. to pick ECs, says Advani
BJP stalwart L.K. Advani on Sunday asked for participation of the Opposition in the process of selecting election commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner on the lines of CVC and CIC.
In his latest blog posted on Sunday, the BJP’s parliamentary party’s chairman referred to a 1998 Supreme Court decision in which a bench, comprising the then Chief Justice J.S. Verma, Justice S.P Barucha and Justice S.C. Sen, had ruled that a selection panel comprising the Prime Minister, the home minister and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha would select the CVC.
Later, taking a cue from the same judgment, government incorporated a selection process for appointing CIC under Right To Information (RTI) Act by a panel comprising the Prime Minister, the law minister and the Leader of Opposition.
“Chief Justice Verma’s decision to involve the Opposition in an important appointment, which till then was the exclusive preserve of the ruling party set a precedent,” Mr Advani said, while posting the blog.
The BJP stalwart suggests that Article 324 of the Constitution, which deals with the Election Commission of India, should be suitably amended to follow the same selection process for appointment of Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner. “It would be very appropriate and a step towards strengthening democracy if the Supreme Court’s 1998 decision followed in the RTI Act is incorporated in case of the Election Commission also,” he said.
“The phrasing of Article 324 (2) shows that this would not need any Constitution amendment. It would be achieved by an ordinary enactment. The earlier it is done the better,” he emphasised.
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