SC refuses to stall meeting to pick new poll chief, stay law

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to stall the first meeting under Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 to select a new election commissioner (EC), saying the operation of a law cannot be suspended through an interim order.

- Utkarsh Anand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to chair the first meeting under the 2023 law this week. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, and a Union minister will also be a part of the three-member selection committee that will find the successor to EC Anup Chandra Pandey, who is set to retire on February 14. "We can't stay legislative amendments just like that...It can't be done like this. By an interim order, we can't give you the final relief in your petition," a bench led by justice Sanjiv Khanna told advocate Prashant Bhushan.