DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

GS-II : Indian Polity Election commission

13 March, 2021
8 Min Read

Bureaucrats cannot be State Election Commissioners: SC

The Supreme Court on Friday held that independent persons and not bureaucrats should be appointed State Election Commissioners.
The top court directed that the States should appoint independent persons as Election Commissioners all along the length and breadth of the country.

‘Give up post’

It said government employees holding the post of State Election Commissioners as an additional charge should give up the post.
The Supreme Court said its direction should be followed strictly.
The independence of Election Commissions cannot be compromised at any cost, the Bench said, adding that it was “disturbing” to see government employees manning State Election Commissions as an add-on job.
The judgment criticised the Goa government for giving its Law Secretary the additional charge of State Election Commissioner.
“Under the constitutional mandate, it is the duty of the State to not interfere with the functioning of the State Election Commission,” the Bench said.

Steps To Be Taken

1. The state governments need to follow the guidelines given by the Supreme Court in Kishan Singh Tomar vs Municipal Corporation of Ahmedabad case:

The provisions of Article 243K of the Constitution, which provides for the setting up of SECs, are almost identical to those of Article 324 related to the ECI.
Also, the state governments should abide by orders of the SECs during the conduct of the panchayat and municipal elections, just like they follow the instructions of the EC during Assembly and Parliament polls.

2. 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission Recommendation

The State Election Commissioner should be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of a collegium, comprising the Chief Minister, the Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly and the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.
An institutional mechanism should be created to bring the Election Commission of India and the SECs on a common platform for coordination, learning from each other’s experiences and sharing of resources.

3. Law Commission 255th Report on Electoral Reforms

It is recommended, adding a new sub-clause to Article 324 of the Constitution to provide for a separate independent and permanent Secretariat for the ECI along the lines of the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha Secretariats under Article 98 of the Constitution.
Similar provisions can also be made for the State Election Commissions to ensure autonomy, and free and fair local body election.

Source: TH

Join Our Telegram

Cyber Forensics

Vapour Recovery System

Formation Day

03 Dec, 25
SHARE

On 1st November, eight Indian states—Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu—along with five Union Territories—Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry—celebrate their Formation Day. This date marks an important milestone in India

Turtle (Kachhua) Wildlife Sanctuary

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

The Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as the Kachhua Sanctuary, is located in the Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh. It is recognised as India’s first freshwater turtle wildlife sanctuary, established to conserve endangered turtle species and support the ecological health of the Ganga River. Location and Extent The sanctuary co

Introduction of AI and Computational Thinking (CT) in

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

The Ministry of Education plans to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computational Thinking (CT) from Class 3 onwards in the 2026–27 academic year. This initiative is part of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The aim is to prepare student

Sal Tree

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

Scientists from the Environment Department of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) in Shimla have recently revealed that the Sal tree (Shorea robusta) is the most effective natural air purifier for combating rising pollution levels. Their findings highlight the tree’s superior capacity to trap dust, absorb gases, and cleanse the air compared

US Resumes Nuclear Weapon Testing

02 Dec, 25
SHARE

The President of the United States has ordered the resumption of nuclear weapon testing after a gap of 33 years, the last test being in 1992. This decision marks a significant shift in global nuclear policy and has far-reaching implications for geopolitics, the environment, and international security. Status of Global Nuclear Weapon Testing

Quick Links Testimonials FAQ

Crash Course

Regular Modules 2024

Mains

Optional

Bureaucrats cannot be State Election Commissioners: SC

Bureaucrats cannot be State Election Commissioners: SC

Formation Day

Turtle (Kachhua) Wildlife Sanctuary

Introduction of AI and Computational Thinking (CT) in

Sal Tree

US Resumes Nuclear Weapon Testing

DNA

03 Dec,2025

Important GS Topics

Toppers

Search By Date

Top Editorials

UPSC Courses

Saarthi Mentorship Programme

Important Tags

Articles:Geography And Environment

Articles: History Culture Society

Articles: Governance & National Issues

Articles: IR & IO

Articles: Economic Development & Economic Issues

Articles: S&T Internal Security

Articles: Ethics & Others

Articles: Others

Newsletter Subscription

SMS Alerts

Important Links