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The and Lok Sabha Speaker rejected a notice submitted by 193 Opposition MPs seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). The rejection was based on the discretionary powers vested in the presiding officers under the , sparking debates over accountability and transparency in constitutional offices.
To ensure the independence of the Election Commission of India, Article 324(5) of the Constitution provides that the Chief Election Commissioner can only be removed in the same manner and on the like grounds as a Supreme Court judge. This procedure is detailed in the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, which requires a removal motion to be signed by at least 100 members of the Lok Sabha or 50 members of the Rajya Sabha. Once submitted, the Speaker of Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha Chairman has the statutory authority to either admit or refuse the motion after due consideration. If admitted, a three-member inquiry committee is constituted. For UPSC Preliminary and Mains exams, it is crucial to remember that while the CEC enjoys this rigorous security of tenure (requiring a special majority in both Houses for removal), other Election Commissioners can be removed merely on the recommendation of the CEC.
The stringent removal process is a vital constitutional safeguard designed to shield the CEC from political pressures and executive overreach, ensuring free and fair elections. However, this incident brings forth the delicate balance between institutional independence and executive accountability. The opposition's motion alleged that the CEC was subservient to the executive, raising concerns about the impartiality of constitutional watchdogs. The summary rejection of the motion by the presiding officers without citing specific reasons acts as a gatekeeping mechanism against frivolous or politically motivated attacks. Yet, critics argue that such unilateral discretionary power can undermine parliamentary oversight, especially when a motion carries substantial backing from elected representatives. This tension is a classic UPSC Mains theme concerning the functioning and autonomy of constitutional bodies.
The absolute discretion of presiding officers in parliamentary procedures is a recurring area of study for UPSC aspirants. Under Section 3 of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, the Speaker of Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha Chairman serve as the initial screening authority for any motion seeking the removal of high constitutional functionaries. Their decision to admit or reject a motion is final at that stage and requires a careful assessment of available material. This underscores the immense quasi-judicial authority wielded by the Chair in Indian parliamentary democracy. The lack of a mandatory requirement for the Chair to provide detailed, public justifications for rejecting such motions often leads to allegations of partisan behavior, making the neutrality and role of the Speaker/Chairman a critical topic for GS Paper 2.