Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • PM Modi in Manipur
  • Charlie Kirk killer
  • Sushila Karki
  • IND vs PAK
  • India-US ties
  • New human organ
  • Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Movie Review
fp-logo
How Gyanesh Kumar, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were selected as election commissioners
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • Explainers
  • How Gyanesh Kumar, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were selected as election commissioners

How Gyanesh Kumar, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were selected as election commissioners

FP Explainers • March 18, 2024, 19:13:00 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

Former bureaucrats Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar have been picked as the new election commissioners, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said on Thursday. There are two committees involved in the selection process, with the majority of the members from the government or employed by the Centre

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
How Gyanesh Kumar, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were selected as election commissioners
The Election Commission of India in New Delhi. PTI File Photo

Former bureaucrats Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar have been selected as the new election commissioners (ECs) by a committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader and the sole Opposition member on the panel, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, said on Thursday (14 March). These two ECs will assist Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar as the poll body charts up a schedule and prepares for the upcoming Lok Sabha election.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Objecting to the selection process, Chowdhury told reporters that he gave a dissent note on the appointments of the two ECs as he was not apprised of the names in advance. Besides the PM and the Congress leader, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is a part of the high-powered committee.

More from Explainers
How ChatGPT is becoming everyone’s BFF and why that’s dangerous How ChatGPT is becoming everyone’s BFF and why that’s dangerous This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal

Chowdhury said he had asked for a shortlist before the Thursday meeting but was sent the names of 212 candidates last night. “I was given 212 names, how can someone examine so many candidates in a day? Ten minutes before the meeting, I was given a shortlist of six names," NDTV quoted him as saying.

The list included the names of former bureaucrats Utpal Kumar Singh, Pradeep Kumar Tripathi, Gyanesh Kumar, Indevar Pandey, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, Sudhir Kumar Gangadhar Rahate, reported PTI.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts
Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Were bodyguards involved in Charlie Kirk’s shooting? The many conspiracies surrounding the killing

Were bodyguards involved in Charlie Kirk’s shooting? The many conspiracies surrounding the killing

“Of the six names, the names of Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were finalised for appointment as election commissioners,” the Congress leader said.

As per Indian Express, Chowdhury wrote to the government on Tuesday, seeking the “dossier” of “bio-profiles” of the shortlisted persons “well before” the Thursday meeting.

The Congress leader said the government has the majority in the panel, so “they chose the candidates they wanted”, terming the meeting a “formality”.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

#WATCH | After the meeting of selection committee to pick the Election Commissioner, the Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says, "They (govt) have the majority (in the committee who appoints election commissioner). Earlier, they had given me 212 names, but… pic.twitter.com/90x3uLxGsx

— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2024

How are election commissioners picked? Why was there a need to select two ECs just months before the crucial Lok Sabha elections? Let’s understand.

Process for selecting Election Commissioners

There are two committees involved in picking Election Commissioners. A three-member search committee led by the Union Law Minister first prepares two separate lists of five names each for the two posts, as per PTI. The home secretary and the Department of Personnel and Training secretary are the other two members of this panel.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Later, the selection committee, headed by the Prime Minister and comprising the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM, picks the final candidates from the five names shortlisted by the screening panel.

The appointments for the posts are then made by the President.

Before the Central government enforced the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Office and Terms of Office) Bill, 2023, the power to make appointments rested solely with the Executive or the Union government.

The Prime Minister was empowered to select the candidates and the President would formally appoint them.

Last March, the Supreme Court ruled that the CEC and ECs will be appointed by the President on the advice of a committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Chief Justice of India (CJI). The court added that this was “subject to any law to be made by Parliament”.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Following the apex court’s judgement, the Centre brought a Bill in Parliament last August laying out the process for appointing Election Commissioners . The legislation, which was passed in December 2023, replaced the CJI with a Cabinet minister nominated by the PM in the three-member selection committee.

The Opposition decried the move saying the composition of the panel was in favour of the government and sidelined the role of the Leader of Opposition, who can be outvoted by the Prime Minister and the Union minister.

The Association for Democratic Reforms and Congress leader Jaya Thakur have challenged this selection process in the Supreme Court. The case will be heard on Friday (15 March).

ALSO READ: Will India have simultaneous polls in 2029? What ‘one nation, one election’ panel recommends

The need for picking ECs just before LS polls

The need to pick two ECs ahead of the general elections arose after the surprise resignation of Arun Goel last week and the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey in February left the two posts vacant.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
election commissioners
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar with Arun Goel. The latter resigned from the post of election commissioner last week. PTI File Photo

Goel’s resignation was attributed to “personal reasons”. Election Commission sources spoke about “differences on file” between Goel and CEC Rajiv Kumar, reported NDTV.

However, the government dismissed the reports of a dispute between the two.

With inputs from agencies

Tags
Election Basics Election Commission Election Commissioner
End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Impact Shorts

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned following violent protests in Nepal. An Indian woman from Ghaziabad died trying to escape a hotel fire set by protesters. Indian tourists faced attacks and disruptions, with some stranded at the Nepal-China border during the unrest.

More Impact Shorts

Top Stories

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV