Supreme Court to hear challenge to Election Commission decisions

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear next week a petition challenging whether powers assigned to the Election Commission of India were exercised collectively or by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar alone. The petition seeks, among other relief, an interim order suspending or restraining Kumar from performing his role while the case is pending. The court has not announced a hearing date or ruled on the claims. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant agreed to list the matter after senior advocate Vikas Singh, representing petitioner Rakesh Kumar Singh, requested an early hearing. Filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, the petition argues that Article 324 vests election powers in the Commission as a multimember body, and that decisions should be unanimous or made by majority where members differ. The challenge concerns decisions linked to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The petition relies on reports alleging that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded at least 14 objections between October 2025 and August 2026 over decisions they considered to have been made without the full Commission’s approval.