SC judge: Leader of Opposition's role in election body selection panel is merely ornamental

A Supreme Court judge has said that the presence of the Leader of Opposition in the panel responsible for selecting the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners is essentially ornamental, raising serious questions about the independence of India's electoral machinery.

The judge observed that drawbacks embedded in the current appointment law give the executive overwhelming power in determining who heads the Election Commission, undermining the spirit of a balanced, multi-member selection process.

The remarks highlight growing concern that despite the inclusion of the Opposition leader as a nominal check, the structural design of the selection mechanism tilts decisively in favour of the ruling establishment, potentially compromising the neutrality of appointments to one of the country's most consequential constitutional bodies.