*19th Feb, 2025* *News of the Day* *PM Modi, Amit Shah & Rahul Gandhi meet to appoint new Chief Election Commissioner* *Introduction* Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi met to appoint the successor of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar. This marks the first time a selection panel has been set up to appoint the head of the country’s election watchdog. *How were Chief Election Commissioners appointed earlier?* The Election Commission (EC) is a three-member body made up of one Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commissioners. Although all three election commissioners are equal, the CEC, like the Chief Justice of India, is the first among equals. Earlier, there was no law passed by Parliament for the appointment of the CEC and ECs. The appointments were done by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. Traditionally, the successor to the incumbent CEC has been the next senior-most Election Commissioner. Seniority was usually defined by who was appointed earlier to the Commission. *How is the new CEC be appointed this time?* The new CEC is being appointed under a new law — Chief Election Commissioner And Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service And Term of Office) Act, 2023. This law lays down procedures for appointment of both CEC and ECs. Under the Act, a search committee headed by the Law Minister and comprising two senior bureaucrats serving as secretaries to the Government of India must first draw up a shortlist of five candidates. This shortlist is then sent to a Selection Committee made up of the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition, and a Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM. The current Selection Committee comprises Prime Minister Narendra Modi, LoP Rahul Gandhi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Section 8 of the Act gives this Committee the power to also consider names beyond the shortlisted five. This is the same process used to appoint Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu to the Commission in March 2024. *Download the Complete Daily Current Affairs Pdf* https://www.prepmate.in/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/News-Juice-19th-February-2025.pdf