Supreme Court Interventions on Constitutional Immunity & Free Speech Frontlines

Supreme Court Issues Notice on ADR's Plea Challenging Statutory Immunity for Election Commissioners

The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Union Government and the Election Commission of India on a petition by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) challenging the constitutional validity of lifetime immunity granted to the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. The plea questions whether blanket protection against civil and criminal proceedings post-tenure undermines public accountability and violates the basic structure doctrine under Article 14. This intervention brings into sharp focus the constitutional balancing act between administrative independence and democratic institutional oversight.