New Delhi, March 20 -- Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant recused himself from hearing a batch of pleas challenging the law regarding the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and other Election Commissioners.

"I will be accused of conflict of interest. There is a conflict of interest," the CJI, who was sitting alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, was quoted by new agency PTI as saying.

The law under question - the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 - has been challenged on the grounds that it excludes the CJI from the panel tasked with selecting election commissioners (CEC and the ECs).

According to Bar a...