CJI agrees to take a call on hearing a plea to recall split verdict in CEC appointments law case

The application questions why one of the judges on the apex court Bench, Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, did not reveal during multiple court proceedings that his son was a standing counsel for the Election Commission of India (ECI). File | Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday (October 7, 2026) agreed to examine and take a call on hearing an application seeking a recall of a split verdict pronounced on September 23 in a case challenging the Election Commissioners’ appointments law.

The application, orally mentioned before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, questions why one of the judges on the apex court Bench, Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, did not reveal during multiple court proceedings that his son was a standing counsel for the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The application, filed by Naman Sherstra, was mentioned the previous week before Justice Dipankar Datta, who was the lead judge on the Bench which gave the split verdict.

Justice Datta had asked Mr. Sankaranarayanan to mention the application before the Chief Justice as the records of the case had already been returned to the CJI.

Mr. Sherstra has sought a recall of the opinion given by Justice Sharma, who was the puisne judge on the Division Bench headed by Justice Datta, on September 23 on the question of referring the challenge to the constitutional validity of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 to a five-judge Bench.