Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner Association for Democratic Reforms, informed the court that they had received a message from the Chief Justice regarding the urgency of the matter.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear petitions challenging the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, which omitted the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel of Election Commissioners. The matter is scheduled to be heard on March 15, as confirmed by Justice Sanjeev Khanna.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner Association for Democratic Reforms, informed the court that they had received a message from the Chief Justice regarding the urgency of the matter. Responding to this, Justice Khanna assured Bhushan that the case would be listed for hearing on Friday.

Amid two recent departures from its top panel, the Election Commission faces a critical juncture with two vacancies. Last week, in a surprising move Election Commissioner Arun Goel tendered his resignation, following the retirement of his colleague Anup Chandra Pandey last month. Consequently, only Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar remains on the top panel. This development comes at a time when the Lok Sabha election, the most major event for the poll body, is mere weeks away.

Under the current procedure for appointing election commissioners, a search committee headed by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal will compile two panels of five names each for the vacant posts. Subsequently, a selection committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with representation from a Union Minister and Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, will finalise the appointments.

Government sources, as reported by news agency PTI, indicate that the selection committee is expected to convene either today or tomorrow, with the possibility of filling both vacant positions by Friday.

The petition filed by the ADR has brought attention to the appointment rules for Election Commissioners. Last year, a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court mandated that top poll officials must be appointed based on the recommendation of a committee comprising the Chief Justice of India, the Prime Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.

However, the Centre introduced the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023. This legislation, which received parliamentary approval, excluded the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel, instead adding a Union Minister.