Supreme Court questions why CJI was excluded from election chief selection panel

The Supreme Court raised concerns over Parliament's decision to leave out the Chief Justice of India from the panel that selects the Chief Election Commissioner. The justices pointed out that the CJI is included in several other high-level appointment committees, making the exclusion notable. The court was hearing petitions challenging the appointment process established under the 2023 Act. The government urged the bench to respect legislative decisions and not interfere with parliamentary wisdom. The court clarified it was not casting doubt on the Prime Minister's integrity, but was scrutinising the structural composition of the panel.