The Supreme Court is set to hear a batch of petitions on Wednesday, challenging the validity of the law governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners, which dropped Chief Justice of India from selection panel for Election Commissioners.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan on Tuesday urged the court to hear the matter on an urgent basis, citing its importance for the future of democracy.

The law in question, the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, has been criticized for excluding the Chief Justice of India from the selection panel for Election Commissioners.

Advocate Bhushan told a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh that the matter is listed for hearing tomorrow and requested it to be heard at the top of the board as it is exceedingly important for the future of the democracy

Bhushan said, "A complete mockery has been made. Please have it as item 1 tomorrow."

Justice Kant said, "We will see tomorrow subject to any other important matters. You make a mention tomorrow, then we can take it up. After urgent/fresh matters are over."

In 2024, the apex court declined to put on hold the two Election Commissioners' appointments under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023.

It had dismissed all the applications seeking a stay on the appointment of two Election Commissioners saying elections are around the corner and a stay on the appointment would result in "chaos and uncertainty".