THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, Feb 14: A meeting is scheduled for February 17 to select the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), as incumbent Rajiv Kumar is set to retire on February 18. Reports suggest that senior official Gyanesh Kumar is the frontrunner for the top position.
The meeting will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal, and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. The panel is expected to submit a shortlist of five candidates for the position.
According to sources, the search panel has narrowed down five names from a pool of over 480 candidates.
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Notably, a search committee was formed under the chairmanship of Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal. The committee includes the Finance Secretary and the Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training as its two members.
According to sources, the search committee was established following an order issued by the Union Law Ministry on January 17. Its meeting was held during the Budget Session of Parliament, which began on January 31.
Until now, the senior-most Election Commissioner was usually promoted to the position of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) upon the incumbent’s retirement. However, the appointment process has changed following the enactment of a new law last year governing the selection of the CEC and Election Commissioners (ECs).
