Process to Remove the Chief Election Commissioner: Constitutional Provisions and Rules

Gist Opposition leaders are preparing a motion in Parliament to remove Chief Election Commissioner CEC Gyanesh Kumar following reports of internal friction over the Election Commission's functioning. This development brings the stringent constitutional provisions governing the impeachment of a CEC back into the spotlight. For a UPSC aspirant, understanding the specific grounds for removal, the procedural overlaps with a Supreme Court judge's impeachment, and the difference in security of tenure between the CEC and other Election Commissioners is crucial for Indian Polity. Background The Election Commission of India ECI is a constitutional body mandated by Article 324 to conduct free and fair elections. Its structure and service conditions are currently governed by the CEC and Other Election Commissioners Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office Act, 2023 . The ECI consists of three members: one CEC and two Election Commissioners, who are appointed by the President on the recommendation of a three-member panel the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and a Union Cabinet Minister . Decisions within the ECI are ideally meant to be unanimous, with the…