New Delhi, Oct. 16 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the three election commissioners on a petition filed by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and 12 other INDIA bloc leaders seeking an independent, timebound inquiry into alleged electoral irregularities and the functioning of the poll panel.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi, however, issued a provisional notice to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, a co-petitioner in the case, asking him to explain his statements against the CJI after he declined to meet Opposition leaders seeking to raise concerns over ECI.

The court clarified that the notice did not amount to a condemn...