Wed Feb 12 06:48:39 UTC 2025: ## Supreme Court Delays Hearing on Election Commission Appointment Law
**New Delhi, February 12, 2025** – The Supreme Court of India postponed until February 19th its hearing on petitions challenging the legality of a new law governing the appointment of Chief Election Commissioners (CEC) and Election Commissioners (EC). The delay comes just one day before the current CEC, Rajiv Kumar, is scheduled to retire.
The petitioners, including the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms, argue the case is time-sensitive due to the impending retirement. While acknowledging the urgency, Justice Surya Kant assured that the court’s decision on the validity of the 2023 Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act will have consequences regardless of the timing.
The 2023 Act grants the central government a more dominant role in the appointment process, replacing the Chief Justice of India on the selection committee with a cabinet minister. Petitioners contend this undermines a previous Supreme Court ruling that established a selection committee including the Chief Justice. They argue the new law was designed to circumvent this judgment.
The court previously refused to stay the law’s implementation in March 2024. However, Justice Kant has stated that the central question is whether the legislature can effectively override the Supreme Court’s binding decisions. The court will now resume its consideration of the matter on February 19th, after the retirement of the current CEC.
First Piper 