India top court orders bipartisan panel to select election commissioners

India’s top court on Thursday ordered setting up a bipartisan panel including the prime minister and the chief justice to select the country’s election commissioners, ending a practice of the government effectively choosing them.
The panel will also include the leader of the opposition in the lower house of parliament or the opposition party with the highest number of members in the house.
“This norm will continue to hold good till a law is made by parliament,” said Justice K.M. Joseph, delivering the order of a constitution bench that heard several appeals calling for an independent committee to appoint election commissioners.
Currently, the president appoints the chief election commissioner and two commissioners for a tenure of six years each.