Context:

• Sushil Chandra on February 15, 2019 assumed charge as the new Election Commissioner (EC) of India. He would be working along with Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa in the Election Commission.
• The Election Commissioners are usually retired IAS or IRS officers.
• The decisions of the commission are taken by a majority vote. The term of an Election Commissioner in 6 years.

Multi Member Body:

• In 1950, the Election Commission had only a Chief Election Commissioner. Two additional Commissioners were appointed to the commission for the first time on October 16, 1989 but they had a very short tenure, ending on January 1, 1990.
• Until 1989, the Election Commission was a single member body, but later two additional Election Commissioners were added. Thus, the Election Commission currently consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners.
• The concept of a 3-member Commission has been in operation since then, with the decisions being made by a majority vote.