Lok Sabha polls: Supreme Court dismisses pleas seeking stay on appointment of election commissioners
File photo of the Indian Supreme Court.
The Indian Supreme Court on Thursday (Mar 21) dismissed applications seeking a stay on the appointment of two new Election Commissioners, just days after the poll body announced dates for the Lok Sabha election this summer.
The top court asked the government to file a response within six weeks on the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023.
A few days ago, the government had filled two vacancies in the Election Commission of India (ECI), which arose following the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey last month and the sudden resignation of Arun Goel.The government appointed former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu.
“We are dismissing the applications for a stay on the appointment,” a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said.
Petitions in the top court had challenged the validity of the new law, Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Terms of Office) Act, 2023. One of their contentions is about the absence of Chief Justice of India in the selection panel for election commissioners.
“At this stage, we cannot stay the legislation or suspend its operation. It would lead to chaos and uncertainty and we cannot do it (stay) by way of an interim order. There are no allegations against the new election commissioners,” the bench told the petitioners, adding that it will examine the main petition.
The Supreme Court also questioned the central government for the speed with which the Search Committee shortlisted the candidates, and two Election Commissioners were selected.
Supreme Court asks Centre to file a response within six weeks on the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023. https://t.co/6jgrhQ1KeT
The top court pointed out that it was not questioning the credentials of the Election Commissioners selected, but on the procedure in which the selection was made.
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(With inputs from agencies)