# Justice Sharma’s son is ECI lawyer, raises propriety questions 2026-09-25T16:31:36+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets Questions have been raised over judicial propriety after it emerged that Supreme Court Justice Satish Chandra Sharma's son is a standing counsel for the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Justice Sharma was part of a two-judge bench that on September 23 heard challenges to the 2023 law on appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners. He took the view the matter raised substantial constitutional questions and should be heard by a Constitution Bench, while Justice Dipankar Datta disagreed, leading to a reference to a larger bench. On the same day, Justice Sharma's bench also heard a petition by Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Medha Roopam, daughter of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Roopam challenged an Allahabad High Court order that had quashed a detention under the National Security Act and directed Rs 5 lakh compensation to be recovered from her salary. Justice Sharma's bench granted interim relief staying the High Court's strictures and the salary recovery direction. LiveLaw and Times Now reported that the case was not in Justice Sharma's regular roster. No evidence of actual bias has been presented. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Mathrubhumi and LiveLaw frame the story around the appearance of conflict, emphasising the son's ECI role and the unusual roster for Medha Roopam's case. Times Now reports the facts neutrally but still notes the roster questions. The common thread across all three is that no actual bias has been established. The roster irregularity reported by LiveLaw and Times Now is the most concrete institutional fact. The Supreme Court's in-house procedure for handling recusal requests will determine how this is addressed. ## Coverage - english.mathrubhumi.com (government critical) Leads with a detailed framing questioning judicial transparency, foregrounds the appearance of conflict - timesnownews.com (neutral report) Straight news style, reports questions raised but states no evidence of bias - livelaw.in (government critical) Strongly questions propriety, uses language like 'curious dimension' and 'serious questions' Tags: Election Commission of India, Gyanesh Kumar, judicial propriety, Medha Roopam, Satish Chandra Sharma, Supreme Court Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/questions-over-justice-sharma-hearing-eci-related-cases-as-son-is-its-lawyer/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/questions-over-justice-sharma-hearing-eci-related-cases-as-son-is-its-lawyer/#story-in-brief