Election Commission of India (ECI): Independence and Appointment

1. Historical background
Shibban Lal Saxena (1949): Warned that government control over appointments could turn Election Commissioners into ruling-party loyalists; proposed a two-thirds majority in Parliament for appointment.
H.N. Kunzru: Stressed the need for safeguards to ensure Commissioners act fearlessly and independently.
B.R. Ambedkar: Recognised the difficulty of designing a satisfactory appointment mechanism; Article 324(2) left the appointment process to be regulated by Parliament through law.

2. Present appointment mechanism
Supreme Court, Anoop Baranwal v. Union of India (2023): Temporarily prescribed a selection committee comprising the PM, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and CJI, until Parliament made a law.
Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023: Replaced the CJI with a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the PM.

3. Why does it matter?
Concern: The government has a majority in the selection committee, raising concerns about executive dominance.
Constitutional principle: Free and fair elections are essential to democracy.
Impact: Perceived political influence can weaken public trust in the neutrality of elections.

4. Way forward
Consider a more independent, broad-based selection committee.
Ensure transparent selection criteria and public accountability.
Strengthen the institutional autonomy of the ECI.

Conclusion: An independent Election Commission is essential to ensure that elections are not merely conducted, but are also perceived to be free and fair.

#GS2mains

Vashishtha Narayan Singh
Field: Renowned mathematician from Bihar; specialised in mathematics, particularly operator theory.

Research: PhD thesis - Reproducing Kernels and Operators with a Cyclic Vector, University of California, Berkeley (1969).

#BIHARspecial

CCUS = Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage
1. Meaning: Technology to capture CO₂ emissions from industries, preventing their release into the atmosphere.
2. Three stages:
Capture CO₂ at emission source.
Transport captured CO₂.
Utilise it in products or store it permanently underground.
3. Applications: Decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors – Steel, Cement, Power, Refineries and Chemicals; CO₂ can also produce fuels, chemicals and building materials.
4. Union Budget 2026–27: ₹20,000 crore allocated over 5 years for CCUS development and deployment in the above five sectors.
5. India’s first integrated CCUS Field Laboratory: Inaugurated at IIT Bombay (11 May 2026) by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan; pilot facility has a capacity of 3 tonnes CO₂ per day.
Important facts:
India’s Net Zero target: 2070.
NITI Aayog released CCUS Policy Framework and Deployment Mechanism in 2022.
Keyword: CCUS helps decarbonise hard-to-abate industries where emissions cannot be eliminated easily through renewable energy or electrification alone.

#CA2026

Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY)
Ministry: Social Justice & Empowerment.
Launched: 2021; umbrella scheme for welfare of senior citizens (60 years and above).
Objective: Healthcare, shelter, protection and dignified ageing.

Major Components:
IPSrC: Financial assistance to NGOs for running old-age homes and care facilities.
RVY (Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana): Free assistive devices (wheelchairs, hearing aids, walking sticks) to eligible senior citizens with age-related disabilities.
Elderline (14567): National toll-free helpline for senior citizens.
SAGE: Supports start-ups developing innovative products and services for elderly care.
SCOPE: Connects senior citizens with employment opportunities.
SAPSrC: Supports state-level action plans for senior citizens.

Additional Facts:
AVYAY subsumed the earlier National Action Plan for Senior Citizens (NAPSrC).
Silver Economy: Economic activities involving products and services catering to the elderly.
IPSrC = Old-age homes | RVY = Assistive devices | SAGE = Start-ups | Elderline = Helpline.

#CA2026