HC summons Attorney General on EC appointment issue

New Delhi, May 5 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today summoned the Attorney General(AG) to appear before it on May 17, on a PIL seeking direction to the Government to prescribe qualifications for the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.

After hearing the preliminary arguments on the petition filed by advocate Ravi Prakash Gupta, a division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Vijender Jain asked the Attorney General Milon Bannerjee to explain the omission in the constitution about the specific qualification to these constitutional posts.

The PIL pointed out that retired bureaucrats were appointed to these posts and they could not be removed without following the procedures laid down for the removal of a Supreme Court Judge by Parliament through a two-third majority.

However, the Constitution is silent about their qualification for appointment, the petition said.

It was submitted that Parliament should prescribe specific qualifications on the lines of Supreme Court Judges for the appointment of the election authorities too.

The petition pointed out that election commissioners were presently elevated from among the bureaucrats, giving scope for favouritism and arbitrariness, though the removal of the officials once appointed was left to Parliament.

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