SC refuses to stay appointments of new ECs under 2023 law

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the appointments of new election commissioners (ECs) under a 2023 law that excluded the chief justice of India from the selection panel.

A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna, Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih told the petitioners, who pointed out that a meeting for the selection of ECs was preponed, to file a separate application pointing out the fact.

Refusing to stay the appointments made in accordance with the 2023 law, the bench said, "Normally and generally, we do not stay a law by way of an interim order."

It deferred till March 21 the hearing on a batch of pleas challenging the appointments of two ECs under the 2023 law.

The hearing assumes significance as former IAS officers Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Sandhu were appointed as ECs on Thursday. They were selected by a panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.