Parliament panel seeks executive, EC perspectives on regional commissioners for 2024 LS polls

By way of PTI

NEW DELHI: Announcing that the Election Fee (EC) must have optimal manpower, a parliamentary committee has sought perspectives of the federal government and the ballot panel on appointing regional commissioners to assist the EC within the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

There’s a provision within the Charter to nominate regional commissioners to lend a hand the EC in more than a few elections.

Right through the primary Lok Sabha elections in 1951, regional commissioners have been appointed for 6 months in Bombay and Patna. After that, there was once no such deployment.

In its record on Calls for for Grants (2022-23) for the legislative division within the Union legislation ministry, the Parliamentary Status Committee on Regulation and Group of workers stated that it has taken word of constitutional provisions and likewise the submission by way of the EC pointing out regional commissioners is also appointed by way of the President of India, if required.

On the other hand, after the primary basic elections, they weren’t appointed, the committee seen.

“The committee is of the view that ECI must have optimum stage of manpower as according to its necessities and accordingly, recommends the Legislative Division/Election Fee of India to publish its perspectives at the appointment of regional commissioner/s for the impending basic elections to the Lok Sabha within the yr 2024,” the committee headed by way of Sushil Modi stated.

The legislative division is the nodal company within the govt to care for problems with regards to the EC. The record was once tabled in Parliament ultimate week within the ongoing Finances consultation. Article 324 of the Charter offers with the Election Fee, and certainly one of its provisions refers to regional commissioners.

In keeping with Article 324(4), “sooner than each and every basic election to the Area of the Folks and to the Legislative Meeting of each and every State, and sooner than the primary basic election and thereafter sooner than each and every biennial election to the Legislative Council of each and every State having such Council, the President may additionally appoint after session with the Election Fee such Regional Commissioners as he would possibly imagine essential to lend a hand the Election Fee within the efficiency of the purposes conferred at the Fee.”

The ballot panel secretariat right here is dependent upon its leader electoral officials in each and every state to assist it hang unfastened, honest and non violent polls. The executive electoral officials are frequently referred to as the “limbs” of the EC.