India, April 8 -- The Supreme Court will hear next month a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of a law excluding the Chief Justice of India (CJI) from the high-level committee for appointment of chief election commissioner (CEC) and election commissioners (ECs).

A bench of justices Dipankar Datta and Vipul M Pancholi listed the petitions for hearing on May 6 after the matter was released by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant last month apprehending a possible "conflict of interest" owing to his position as CJI.

The petitions filed by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Congress leader Jaya Thakur among others challenges the validity of the CEC and other ECs (Appointment, Conditions...