PM Modi led 3-member panel meets to select new CEC (Lead) Several PILs concerning the appointment process, especially, for not including the Chief Justice of India in the panel as was the norm earlier, are pending before the Supreme Court. New CEC will conduct the Bihar Assembly elections due this year; Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry polls in 2026; and Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh in 2027. It would be interesting to see if the three-member selection panel picks up a new C EC or decides to elevate one of the incumbent Election Commissioners to the post. The CEC’s tenure is six years, with a maximum term of six years. It is expected that the new Chief Election Commissioner will be sworn in on February 18 (Tuesday) 2014. The current CEC is Rajiv Kumar, who is set to retire on Tuesday, February 18, 2014. He was appointed under the Chief Election commissioner and Other Election Commissioner Act, 2023 which came into force in December 2023. S.S. Sandhu and Gyanesh Kumar were appointed as Election Commissioners under this provision in March 2024. The two Commissioners were appointed to fill vacancies created following the resignation of Arun Goel and the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey. The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for these petitions on February 19.
