New Delhi/IBNS/UNI: A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court by Congress leader Dr Jaya Thakur to restrain the central government from invoking the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023 (CEC Act) to fill two vacant election commissioner posts.

The development comes in the wake of the resignation of Election Commissioner Arun Goel last week.

The CEC Act allows the appointment to the posts of CEC and Election Commissioners by a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.

The law was challenged before the Supreme Court by Congress leader Jaya Thakur, who argued that the ruling government would dominate the new selection panel.

The CEC Act, 2023, drew controversy as it omitted the Chief Justice of India from the panel tasked with selecting the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners.

The Supreme Court had earlier refused to stay the new law (CEC Act) governing the appointment of election commissioners.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta refused to grant any interim stay at present but the Supreme Court is yet to decide on petitions challenging the validity of the new CEC Act.