The Centre also defended the appointment of the two Election Commissioners (ECs) by a panel which does not include the CJI.The UOI said that the deliberations of the high level committee under CEC and EC Act, 2023, are collaborative and discussions take place at the actual meeting itself.The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear tomorrow the batch of paleas challenging the Act of dropping CJI from panel to select CEC & ECs.This act had been challenged before the top court by various petitioners, including that of Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Dr. Jaya Thakur (General Secretary of the Madhya Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee), Sanjay Narayanrao Meshram, Dharmendra Singh Kushwaha, advocate Gopal Singh. Although the top court had earlier in its order refused to stay the implementation of the Election Commissioner Act, 2023, but it had said it would examine the matter at a later stage and thereby issued notice to the Centre and sought the response in April. It is to be noted that the new election commissioners’ law has dropped CJI from the selection panel for appointing CEC and other ECs, forcing the petitioners to knock the doors of the Apex court seeking appropriate directions and to include the CJI in the selection panel.
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