Plea Filed in Supreme Court to Restrain Government from Appointing Election Commissioner Under New Act

A plea has been lodged in the Supreme Court to prevent the Union government from appointing a new election commissioner under the recently enacted Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Terms of Office) Act, 2023. Congress leader Jaya Thakur initiated the petition following the unexpected resignation of Arun Goel as election commissioner, leaving the three-member poll panel with only one member ahead of the critical Lok Sabha elections. Thakur's plea urges the apex court to direct the Union government to adhere to the guidelines outlined in a prior Supreme Court ruling, which mandates that election commissioners be appointed by a panel consisting of the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, and the Leader of the Opposition. "This is our effort to ensure that certain parameters are established for the appointment of election commissioners," Thakur explained to PTI.