NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna on Tuesday recused himself from hearing a batch of pleas challenging the exclusion of the CJI from the panel responsible for selecting the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs).
During the hearing, CJI Khanna, sitting with Justice Sanjay Kumar, informed the petitioners’ advocates, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan and lawyer Prashant Bhushan, that he would not proceed with the case. The advocates highlighted that a previous bench led by Justice Khanna had issued interim orders in the matter.
Justice Khanna, who recently assumed office as the 51st CJI, said that the petitions would be heard by another bench after the winter break. Meanwhile, the CJI directed the Centre and other respondents to file their replies to the Public Interest Litigations (PILs).
The petitions, including one filed by an NGO, challenge Section 7 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023. The contentious provision excludes the CJI from the panel that appoints the CEC and ECs, raising questions about the legislation’s validity and impartiality.