Why is it in the news?

• Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu have been appointed as Election Commissioners by a high-powered panel chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Their appointment is in accordance with the new Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023.

More about the news

• The selection committee, headed by the Prime Minister, also includes a Union Minister nominated by the Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha.
• However, the appointment procedure under the new law is facing legal challenges, with petitions challenging it scheduled for urgent hearing in the Supreme Court.
• The Supreme Court ruling in March 2023 mandated the selection panel to include the Prime Minister, LoP, and Chief Justice of India (CJI), but the current process excludes the CJI.