New Delhi, Sept. 23 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday referred petitions challenging the law governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) to a five-judge Constitution Bench. The move came after a two-judge bench delivered split opinions on whether the pleas challenging the 2023 law raised questions of constitutional importance requiring adjudication by a larger bench.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave split opinions on whether a batch of pleas challenging the validity of a 2023 law that excludes the Chief Justice of India from the panel for selecting the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) should be referred to a larger bench.

Justice Dipankar Datta,...