President Murmu gives assent to Bill for appointment of CEC, ECs

NEW DELHI: President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to a Bill that seeks to put in place a mechanism for the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, according to a government notification issued Friday.

The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, has provisions to set up a search committee chaired by the law minister and two other persons not below the rank of secretary, to prepare a panel of five persons for consideration of the selection committee for appointment as CEC or ECs.

The Bill also has provisions for a Selection Committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, leader of the Opposition and a Union minister, to make recommendations to the President for appointment of CEC and other ECs.

The President also granted assent to the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, to replace a British-era law governing the publishing industry and simplify the process of registration of periodicals.

“This Bill is simple, smart and has a simultaneous process for registration of newspapers and periodicals. Earlier newspapers or magazines had to pass through an eight-step registration process. This can now be done at the click of a button,” Anurag Thakur said .

The President also granted assent to the Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Provisional Collection of Taxes Bill, 2023.