Supreme Court Petition Challenges New Election Commissioner Appointment Act

A legal petition has been presented to the Supreme Court seeking to prevent the Union government from naming a new election commissioner in accordance with the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Terms of Office) Act, 2023. 

The petition, initiated by Congress leader Jaya Thakur, comes after the sudden departure of Arun Goel from the election commissioner post, reducing the electoral body to a single member before the impending Lok Sabha elections. 

The petition calls for the Supreme Court to enforce its earlier ruling that mandates the appointment of election commissioners by a committee that includes the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, and the Leader of the Opposition.