<p>New Delhi: Anup Chandra Pandey on Wednesday demitted office as an election commissioner on attaining the age of 65, creating a vacancy in the three-member Election Commission.</p>.<p>He had joined the commission in June 2021 after a career spanning around 37 years in the central government as well as the Uttar Pradesh government.</p>.<p>Pandey's retirement comes days before the Election Commission (EC) is to announce the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls.</p>.One Nation, One Election: Kovind panel holds fresh consultations with state election commissions.<p>According to the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, a search committee headed by the law minister and comprising two Union secretaries will short-list five candidates for the consideration of the prime minister-led selection committee.</p>.<p>The search committee was to meet on February 7, but the meeting was postponed, sources said.</p>.<p>The Union home secretary and the secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training have been named as its members.</p>.<p>The Congress' leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and a Union minister nominated by the prime minister are part of the selection committee.</p>.<p>The selection panel has the power to consider even those not short-listed by the search committee.</p>.<p>The president will appoint the election commissioner or the chief election commissioner based on the name recommended by the selection committee.</p>.<p>Before the new law came into force, the chief election commissioner and election commissioners were appointed by the president on the recommendation of the government.</p>.<p>Besides Pandey, Arun Goel is an election commissioner. Rajiv Kumar is the chief election commissioner.</p>
<p>New Delhi: Anup Chandra Pandey on Wednesday demitted office as an election commissioner on attaining the age of 65, creating a vacancy in the three-member Election Commission.</p>.<p>He had joined the commission in June 2021 after a career spanning around 37 years in the central government as well as the Uttar Pradesh government.</p>.<p>Pandey's retirement comes days before the Election Commission (EC) is to announce the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls.</p>.One Nation, One Election: Kovind panel holds fresh consultations with state election commissions.<p>According to the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, a search committee headed by the law minister and comprising two Union secretaries will short-list five candidates for the consideration of the prime minister-led selection committee.</p>.<p>The search committee was to meet on February 7, but the meeting was postponed, sources said.</p>.<p>The Union home secretary and the secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training have been named as its members.</p>.<p>The Congress' leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and a Union minister nominated by the prime minister are part of the selection committee.</p>.<p>The selection panel has the power to consider even those not short-listed by the search committee.</p>.<p>The president will appoint the election commissioner or the chief election commissioner based on the name recommended by the selection committee.</p>.<p>Before the new law came into force, the chief election commissioner and election commissioners were appointed by the president on the recommendation of the government.</p>.<p>Besides Pandey, Arun Goel is an election commissioner. Rajiv Kumar is the chief election commissioner.</p>