The Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Power of the Federation (TEPJF) decided to remove the Judicial Evaluation Committee from its duties in the process of the judicial elections of 2025 for the Senate of the Republic. The reason was the alleged disobedience of the Committee to a ruling from the TEPJF ordering it to immediately resume its functions, despite two amparo suspensions that prevented the purification of the list of candidates for the judicial election, where judges, magistrates, and ministers of the Court will be elected.
In a private session held this Monday, the Superior Chamber of the TEPJF pointed out that its ruling, issued last week, clearly established that amparo judges did not have the authority to halt the judicial electoral process, as the suspensions have no effect on electoral matters. By majority vote, the magistrates determined that the justification presented by the Evaluation Committee was insufficient to account for its disobedience to the ruling, and therefore ordered the Senate of the Republic to assume its functions.
The magistrates' decision took into account the precautionary measure issued by the presidency of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), which instructed not to sanction the Committee members for their disobedience. To ensure the continuity of the process, substitute compliance measures for the ruling were established, linking the Board of Directors of the Senate to follow up on the selection of candidates and carry out the corresponding public drawing.
Once the list of candidates for the judicial elections has been purified, it must be sent to the SCJN before February 4. The SCJN must approve it and send it to the INE. If this procedure is not followed, it will be the Senate that directly sends the list to the INE.
