Congress leader files plea in SC restraining govt from appointing new election commissioners

The Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud assured that they will look into the matter but did not assign any date for hearing. "Send an email. We will see," said the bench also comprising pof justices JB Pardiwla and Manoj Misra. The plea was mentioned for urgent listing by senior advocate Vikas Sigh and advocate Varun Thakur, appearing for Thakur.

Reports said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired high-powered committee that will meet on March 15 to finalise the names of new election commissioners.

Two vacancies of election commissioners came about following the resignation of Arun Goel and Anup Chandra Pandey's retirement.

The panel is chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has a Union minister and the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury as members. It will meet on March 15 and name the persons for appointment as election commissioners.

The election commissioners will be appointed by the president.

Days before the poll panel is expected to announce the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls, Goel resigned on Friday morning. His resignation was accepted by President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday and the Union Law Ministry issued a notification to announce it.

A search committee under Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and comprising the Home secretary and the Department of Personnel and Training secretary, will first prepare two separate panels of five names each for the two posts.

Later, the selection committee headed by the prime minister will name two persons for appointment as election commissioners.