‘Keep Chawla out of derecognition hearing’

NEW DELHI: The legal battle in the controversial BJP CD case is all set to take a new twist. The party now wants Election Commissioner Navin Chawla, whose appointment to the top constitutional post had earlier raised political dust, to be kept out of proceedings, when the hearing on the BJP derecognition issue begins today.

On Monday the BJP had given a sealed envelop to the Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalswami and two Election Commissioners, including Chawla, demanding that he should not be present at the hearing.

But now when the BJP delegation arrives at the EC headquarters, its general secretary and former law minister, Arun Jaitley will recite a lengthy argument, citing Supreme Court orders and multiple precedents, demanding that Chawla should not be part of the hearing. The BJP’s reply to the Congress and BSP petition will follow only after a decision on Chawla’s presence is made.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on a petition signed by 205 NDA MPs challenging Chawla’s appointment to the post on Friday. It will be interesting to note whether the legal wrangle in the CD case will have a bearing on the petition. Chawla has been at the center of political controversy for his close connections with with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, and for taking donations from Congress MPs for a private trust run by him.

The BJP, however, feels the controversy arising out of the Congress, BSP, Jan Morcha and CPI(M) petitions to the EC will work only to the advantage of the saffron brigade.