Key Points
The Supreme Court will hear on March 15 a plea by the Association for Democratic Reforms, an NGO, challenging Central government's move to exclude the Chief Justice of India from the panel that selects the Chief Election Commissioner and the election commissioners...
The petition notes that the SC's Constitution bench during Anoop Baranwal V Union of India (Supra) held that leaving the appointment of the members of the Election Commission of India in the hands of the executive would be 'seriously detrimental to the health of our democracy and conduct of free and fair election'...
Union of India (Supra) case.. In its March 2023 order, the Supreme Court had said the prime minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the CJI would pick the CEC and the ECs...
According to the new law, "Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of a Selection Committee consisting of (a) the Prime Minister Chairperson; (b) the Leader of Opposition in the House of the People Member; (c) a Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister Member.".
