New Delhi, March 21 : The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed applications seeking a stay on the appointment of two new election commissioners. Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta, presiding over the bench, stated that they would examine the main petitions challenging the validity of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Terms of Office) Act, 2023.
“We are dismissing the applications for stay on the appointment,” the bench declared. They emphasized that suspending the legislation’s operation at this stage would lead to chaos and uncertainty. The bench further noted that there were no allegations against the newly appointed election commissioners.
During the hearing, the bench questioned the Centre regarding the procedure adopted for the appointment of the two new election commissioners. It expressed concerns that the selection committee should have been given more time to evaluate the candidates thoroughly.
“The search committee for the appointment of election commissioners should have been given a fair share of time to understand the background of candidates,” the bench observed.
The bench clarified that the 2023 verdict of its constitution bench did not mandate the inclusion of a member from the judiciary in the selection panel for the appointment of election commissioners.
Recently, retired IAS officers Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were appointed as Election Commissioners. These appointments come ahead of the Lok Sabha polls scheduled to commence on April 19.
