Supreme Court judge questions neutrality of Election Commissioner appointment process

A Supreme Court judge has questioned whether the process of appointing Election Commissioners can be considered truly neutral, using a pointed sporting analogy to make his case.

Justice Dipankar Datta observed that if the batting team were allowed to select the umpire, questions over that umpire's neutrality would inevitably follow. He made the remarks while hearing a case concerning the 2023 legislation that governs how Election Commissioners are appointed in India.

The comments are likely to intensify debate over whether the current appointment framework adequately safeguards the independence of the body responsible for overseeing the country's elections.