Sushil Chandra to be new Chief Election Commissioner of India

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Sushil Chandra was appointed as the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by the President of India on 12th April, with effect from 13th April, 2021. He will be 24th CEC of India.

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The new CEC was appointed on April 12 and would continue the office till May 14, 2022.

The election commission will hold assembly elections in Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh under him as the term of these assemblies is ending on various dates in March, next year.

Even the term of Uttar Pradesh assembly is also ending on May 14 next year.

Fresh elections are held to form a new assembly before the five year term ends.

The Chief Election Commissioner of India heads the Election Commission of India, a body constitutionally empowered to conduct free and fair elections to the national and state legislatures and of President and Vice-President. This power of the Election Commission of India is taken from the Article 324 of the Constitution of India.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India is usually a member of the Indian Civil Service and mostly from the Indian Administrative Service. It is not easy to remove the authority of the Chief Election Commissioner once appointed by the president, as two-thirds of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha need to present and vote against him for undisciplined conduct or improper actions.