The BJP has made it clear that it would not be easy for Navin Chawla to stay on in EC despite union law minister HR Bharadwaj’s proposal to amend the constitution.
Party denounces centre’s move to amend constitution to retain EC member
NEW DELHI: The BJP has made it clear that it would not be easy for Navin Chawla to stay on in the election commission despite union law minister HR Bharadwaj’s proposal to amend the constitution to safeguard his position. The main opposition party will continue to press for his removal from the post.
“The law minister’s statement has confirmed our worst fears. Here is a government, which, to save Navin Chawla, is willing to go to the extent of amending the constitution. This statement is conclusive of how much value the Congress attaches to the continuation of Chawla as a member of the election commission,” said former law minister and party general secretary Arun Jaitley.
Last week, in view of the Supreme Court ruling the BJP had submitted a fresh petition signed by around 200 MPs to the chief election commissioner seeking Chawla’s removal. The party had sought his removal in accordance with the provisions of article 324(5) of the constitution. The removal has been sought on the ground that Chawla was favourably disposed to the Congress before acquiring the membership of the EC and also during his tenure as member of the panel. “It is this close proximity of Chawla to the Congress and its political functionaries that creates an apprehension in the minds of right-thinking people that he cannot function independently and in a detached manner as a member of the election commission,” Jaitley said.
The party’s petition extensively mentions Chawla’s role during emergency, the observations made by the Justice Shah Commission, his acquisition of prime postings and grant of MPLAD funds by Congress MPs to private trusts controlled by Chawla.
“We are concerned about the government’s move to amend the constitution to ostensibly create parity between the three members of the election commission and make the petition seeking Chawla’s removal as election commissioner infructuous,” said Jaitley.
The party argued that the authority to decide on the removal of a member rested with the chief election commissioner only. “What goes on within the four walls of the election commission is known only to the chief election commissioner and not to the government. If there is an allegation of bias against a member of the commission, it is only appropriate that that the chief election commissioner adjudicates the charge and not the political establishment which is the beneficiary of that bias,” said the former law minister.
s_singh@dnaindia.net
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