Delhi, Oct. 24 -- A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking an independent expert committee, headed by a former Chief Justice of India or a former Supreme Court judge, to examine alleged institutional deficiencies in the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, the petition has also sought a direction prohibiting the Election Commission from allowing candidates and political parties to invoke religious identities, display religious symbols or make communal and sectarian appeals, including through hate speech, while campaigning for elections.

The petition refers to a September 23 newspaper report which stated that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had record...