SC refers to bench plea on appointment of CEC, ECs

For fair polls, seeks collegium- like system for selection

New Delhi, Oct. 23: The Supreme Court on Tuesday referred to a fivejudge Constitution Bench the PIL seeking collegiumlike system for selection of the Chief Election Commissioner ( CEC) and the ECs to ensure institutional integrity of the poll panel and fair elections in the country.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi considered the submissions and counter arguments of lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the PIL petitioner and attorney- general K. K. Venugopal, respectively, before referring the plea for authoritative adjudication by a Constitution bench.

The bench, also comprising Justice S. K. Kaul, said the PIL, filed in 2015 by one Anoop Baranwal, required “close look” and “interpretation” of Article 324 ( superintendence, direction and control of election to be vested in Election Commission) of the Constitution.

“The matter relates to what the petitioner perceives to be a requirement of having a full- proof and better system of appointment of members of the Election Commission.

“We are of the view that the matter may require a close look and interpretation of the provisions of Article 324 of the Constitution,” the bench said.

It said the issue has not been debated and answered by this court earlier and exercised the power under Article 145 ( 3) of the Constitution which says that substantial question of law and the question of interpretation of constitutional schemes may be referred to a larger bench.

“We, accordingly, refer the question arising in the present proceedings to a Constitution Bench for an authoritative pronouncement,” it said.

At the outset, Bhushan said there was the need of having “transparent and independent” selection process to appoint the CEC and the ECs to ensure that democracy and institutional integrity of the poll panel can be safeguarded.