Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has said the Bill related to appointment of Election Commissioners has been brought as per the Supreme Court's verdict. He added it was the Apex Court that had directed him to bring law regarding this. Replying to a media query outside Parliament on opposition criticism of the legislation, Mr. Meghwal said the Bill has provisions of forming a Search Committee which will be led by the Cabinet Secretary and after that, there will be a Selection Committee which will be led by the Prime Minister.

The opposition has been criticizing the Bill for excluding the Chief Justice of India from the panel to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners.  In March this year, the Supreme Court had given a judgment in which it said that the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners must be appointed on the advice of a panel comprising of the Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Justice of India. 

However, the bill which has been introduced in the Rajya Sabha, has provisions that the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners will be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a selection committee. The committee will comprise the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition or leader of the single largest party in the Lok Sabha, and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister.