Supreme Court Seeks Centre, ECI Response on Election Commissioners’ Legal Immunity

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a public interest litigation challenging Section 16 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, which grants legal immunity to serving and former election commissioners for acts performed in the discharge of their official duties.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, sought responses on the plea filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The petition argues that the provision undermines accountability and violates constitutional rights. The matter is tentatively scheduled for further hearing on November 2.