New Delhi: A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court to restrain the central government from appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners as per Sections 7 and 8 of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and terms of office) Act 2023.
Sections 7 and 8 lay down the procedure for the appointment of ECI members.
The application filed by the Congress leader Jaya Thakur also sought direction to appoint members of the Election Commission as per the Supreme Court judgment which had directed the constitution of a committee consisting of the CJI, the PM, and the leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha for appointment.
Following the resignation of Election Commissioner Arun Goel last week and the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey, two vacancies of Election Commissioners have arisen.
Advocate Varun Thakur, appearing for the petitioner, also mentioned the plea for an early hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud. The bench asked the lawyer to send an email regarding this and it will look into the listing.
Thakur had earlier also challenged the provisions of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and terms of office) Act, 2023. (with Agency inputs)