India, Oct. 26 -- Former Supreme Court judge Abhay Oka has said the appointment process for Election Commissioners must remain free from political dominance, underlining the need for robust legal mechanisms and a framework to safeguard the integrity of independent institutions.

Speaking at a lecture titled "Freedom of Speech and Us" on Sunday organised in Thane, Justice Oka (retd) raised critical questions regarding accountability in high-profile Constitutional appointments. He said it is imperative to establish a system and legal provision ensuring that political hegemony does not dictate the appointment of Election Commissioners, questioning what happens next if an election commissioner, such as Gyanesh Kumar, is removed from office. ...