Edited by Deepali Verma
President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to a bill that seeked to put in place a mechanism for the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, according to a government issued notification on December 29.
The Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, includes the provisions to set up a search committee chaired by the law minister and two other persons not below the rank of secretary, to prepare for a panel of five persons that constitute the selection committee which looks after the appointment of CEC or ECs.
Further, it has provisions for a Selection Committee, chaired by the prime minister, leader of the opposition and a Union minister, to suggest recommendations to the President for appointment of CEC and other ECs.
The assent has also been granted to the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill by the President which replaces a British-era law governing the publishing industry and simplifies the process of registration of periodicals. The Press and Registration of Books Act of 1867 is being replaced by the aforementioned bill. The Bill was approved by the Rajya Sabha on August 3.
“The bill is simple, smart and has a simultaneous process for registration of newspapers and periodicals. Previously, the newspapers or magazines had to undergo an eight-step registration process but it can now be done at the click of a button,” Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said in response to the discussion on the bill in the Lok Sabha on December 21.
He informed that the process of registration for newspapers and periodicals will now be done within two months as against the two to three years required earlier.
The President also granted assent to the Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Provisional Collection of Taxes Bill, 2023.
