NEW DELHI: Congress leader Jaya Thakur on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking to restrain the Centre from appointing new election commissioners.
In her plea, Thakur has sought the appointment of election commissioners by a panel comprising of Prime Minister, leader of opposition and the Chief Justice of India as per the top court’s March 2023 order.
“That petitioner most respectfully submitted that in view of facts that election for Lok Sabha Election 2024 may be announced shortly, therefore appointment of member of new election commissioners is required immediately, for that this court has given clear verdict in the case of ‘Anoop Baranwal Versus Union of India’ (March 2, 2023 verdict) about the appointment process…,” the plea said.
“It is, therefore, most respectfully prayed that this Court may graciously be pleased to direct the respondents to immediately appoint the member election commission of India, as per verdict/judgments passed by this court in the case of Anoop Baranwal Versus Union of India…,” it added.
Thakur’s petition in the Supreme Court comes amid speculations that the Election Commission of India is likely to get two new election commissioners by March 15 to fill the vacancies left after the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey and the surprise exit of Arun Goel.
According to PTI sources, search committee under Union law minister Arjun Ram Megwal and comprising the cabinet secretaries of the home department and department of personnel and training will prepare two separate panels of five names each for the two posts.
The new law on the appointment of CEC and ECs came into force recently. Before this, the Chief Justice of India was also involved in the process.
After the resignation of Arun Goel, only Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar was left in the 3-member poll panel, with the Lok Sabha polls just weeks away. Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey had retired on February 14 on attaining the age of 65 years.
In her plea, Thakur has sought the appointment of election commissioners by a panel comprising of Prime Minister, leader of opposition and the Chief Justice of India as per the top court’s March 2023 order.
“That petitioner most respectfully submitted that in view of facts that election for Lok Sabha Election 2024 may be announced shortly, therefore appointment of member of new election commissioners is required immediately, for that this court has given clear verdict in the case of ‘Anoop Baranwal Versus Union of India’ (March 2, 2023 verdict) about the appointment process…,” the plea said.
“It is, therefore, most respectfully prayed that this Court may graciously be pleased to direct the respondents to immediately appoint the member election commission of India, as per verdict/judgments passed by this court in the case of Anoop Baranwal Versus Union of India…,” it added.
Thakur’s petition in the Supreme Court comes amid speculations that the Election Commission of India is likely to get two new election commissioners by March 15 to fill the vacancies left after the retirement of Anup Chandra Pandey and the surprise exit of Arun Goel.
According to PTI sources, search committee under Union law minister Arjun Ram Megwal and comprising the cabinet secretaries of the home department and department of personnel and training will prepare two separate panels of five names each for the two posts.
The new law on the appointment of CEC and ECs came into force recently. Before this, the Chief Justice of India was also involved in the process.
After the resignation of Arun Goel, only Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar was left in the 3-member poll panel, with the Lok Sabha polls just weeks away. Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey had retired on February 14 on attaining the age of 65 years.