India, April 4 -- The Election Commission of India must function independently and not be influenced by political processes, Supreme Court Justice B V Nagarathna on Saturday said even. She mentioned the importance of autonomy of other central agencies, too, apart from the poll body.

"It is of utmost importance that these institutions function independently and not to be influenced by political processes," said Nagarathna, who is in line to be the Chief Justice in September 2027 as per seniority.

The Supreme Court judge made the remarks while speaking at Patna's Chanakya National Law University on the theme "Constitutionalism beyond Rights: Why Structure Matters".

She further said that constitutional breakdown can occur through gradual ...