New Delhi, Jan 12: The new law, which calls for the Chief Election Commissioner and other election commissioners to be appointed by a panel that does not include the Chief Justice of India, was denied a stay by the Supreme Court on Friday. On the other hand, a bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta decided to review a number of petitions that opposed the new law and gave the Centre notice. In support of Congress leader Jaya Thakur, who was requesting a stay on the new law, the bench directed veteran lawyer Vikas Singh to serve a copy of the petition to the Center’s legal representative. “Please revoke this legislation. This goes against the division of powers, stated Singh. Singh was told by the bench, “No, we can’t till we hear the other side. We’ll send out a note.A political dispute over the removal of Chief Justice of India (CJI) from a panel tasked with selecting chief election commissioners (CECs) and election commissioners (ECs) has prompted a number of petitions, including Thakur’s, to be filed before the top court. In addition, lawyer Gopal Singh filed a petition with the highest court, requesting the repeal of the recently passed legislation that gives the federal government broad authority to choose members of the poll board. Singh’s suit asks the supreme court to order the establishment of a “neutral and independent selection committee for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners (CEC and ECs),” as well as a “independent and transparent system of selection.”According to the newly enacted legislation, “the President shall appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners upon the recommendation of a Selection Committee composed of — (a) the Prime Minister — Chairperson; (b) the Leader of the Opposition in the House of the People — Member; and (c) a Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister — Member…” The opposition has charged that by removing the CJI from the selection panel, the Modi administration disregarded the Supreme Court. The prime minister, the head of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the CJI would choose the CEC and the ECs, according to a March 2023 ruling by the Supreme Court.
