Bill on EC appointments will override SC judgment: Oppn

The Opposition on Thursday attacked the Union government for introducing a bill in the Rajya Sabha that seeks to exclude the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from a three-member selection committee that picks the election commissioners and chief election commissioner (CEC), accusing the Centre of "diluting and overturning" an order by the Supreme Court's Constitution bench.

- Smriti Kak Ramachandran

The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 seeks to replace the CJI with a Cabinet minister as one of the three members of the selection panel to choose the CEC and election commissioners the other two being the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.

The introduction of the bill, especially the deletion of CJI from the panel, sparked a fresh standoff between the government and the opposition. "Introduction of this bill will override the Supreme Court Constitution bench's judgment regarding the appointment of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners," CPI(M) lawmaker John Brittas, who had given a notice against the introduction of the bill, said.