Friday date for SC hearing against EC search panel

Last week, election commissioner Arun Goel put in his papers three years before his tenure was to end. Mystery shrouds his exit as he was in line for promotion as the chief election commissioner after incumbant Rajiv Kumar retires in February next year. Last month, his colleague Anup Chandra Pandey had retired.

Earlier, the court had refused to stay the Election Commissioner Act, 2023, but said it would examine the matter next month. But the petitioners moved the court again following Goel’s exit. Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for ADR, sought urgent listing and hearing of its petition since fresh appointments were expected shortly. Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who led a three-judge bench, said, “I just got the message from the CJI that it will be listed on Friday.”