NEW DELHI: Amid the absence of suspended opposition MPs, Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a bill to regulate the appointment of election commissioners. The Rajya Sabha had earlier endosed the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill.

The bill was passed by voice vote. The bill will become law after President Draupadi Murmu signs it. Once the passed bill becomes law, the election commissioners will be appointed by a committee consisting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his proposed cabinet minister and the leader of the opposition.

The opposition had earlier criticized the bill as taking away the sovereignty and independence of the Election Commission. Earlier, the Supreme Court the Supreme Court ruled that election commissioners must be appointed on the advice of a panel comprising the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India from among those recommended by the search committee. The new bill will replace the Chief Justice with a Union Minister.