Holding that the independence of the Election Commission was paramount, the Supreme Court today delivered a landmark order on the process to appoint the Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners.
Here are 5 big points from this landmark judgment
The 5-0 unanimous verdict laid down that the President would appoint the poll panel's top officers on the recommendations of a three-member panel.
This three-member panel will comprise the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India.
If the Leader of the Opposition post is vacant, the leader of the largest Opposition party in the House will be on the panel, the court said.
This system of appointments, the court said, will be in force till Parliament comes up with a law for these appointments.
Delivering the verdict, Justice KM Joseph, who headed the five-judge bench, said, "The Election Commission has to be independent, it cannot claim to be independent then act in an unfair manner." A vulnerable poll body, it said, will result in an "insidious situation".
