The Supreme Court today declined to pass an interim order seeking suspension of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of unilateral decision-making in the Election Commission during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

 

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant issued notices to the Centre, the Election Commission and other respondents. 

 

The petitioners alleged that several SIR-related decisions were taken by the CEC without the concurrence of the other Election Commissioners.

 

The bench said it would first seek responses from the respondents and examine whether any statutory provisions were violated. 

 

The court also observed that it cannot pass an ex-parte order solely on the basis of newspaper reports. It indicated that if the records establish that decisions were taken without the required unanimity or majority, those decisions could be reconsidered.