01-31-2009, 05:48 PM
<b>Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami recommends sacking of commissioner Navin Chawla</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->January 31, 2009 by janamejayan
Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami had sent a recommendation to President Pratibha Patil for the removal of other Election Commissioner Navin Chawla.
In his letter he has asked for the removal on the grounds of partisanship. In 2006, TIMES NOW had reported that Navin Chawla had taken funds in a private trust set up by him from the MPLADS funds. This trust continued to recieve funds even two months prior to Navin Chawla becoming the election commissioner.
Documents in possession of TIMES NOW showed that Chawlaâs wife also recieved money for a turst she ran for leprosy patients. The documents also showed a waiver was granted not once but twice to allow four MPs to give a total of 70 lakhs.
However, Chawla had clarified that no financial transactions had been carried out between his trust and politicians.
Gopalaswami himself will retire as CEC on April 20 and Chawla is to succeed him.
The election commission consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and he is assisted by two Deputy Commissioners.
Constitutionally the Chief Election Commisioner can be removed only by an impeachment in the parliament by two third majority voting for the removal. However the two Deputy Commissioners assisting him, though have equal voting right within the commission, do not have such safeguard and they can be removed at the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
The new question is: Is the government bound by the recommendation of the CEC? Perhaps the Supreme Court might get into the picture if the UPA govt decides to refuse the recommendation.
With the impending general elections, this questions assumes urgency.
But then I suppose the Govt might remove Chawla and give him an Ambassadorâs job and appoint another crook in his place.
Long live corruption India!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->January 31, 2009 by janamejayan
Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami had sent a recommendation to President Pratibha Patil for the removal of other Election Commissioner Navin Chawla.
In his letter he has asked for the removal on the grounds of partisanship. In 2006, TIMES NOW had reported that Navin Chawla had taken funds in a private trust set up by him from the MPLADS funds. This trust continued to recieve funds even two months prior to Navin Chawla becoming the election commissioner.
Documents in possession of TIMES NOW showed that Chawlaâs wife also recieved money for a turst she ran for leprosy patients. The documents also showed a waiver was granted not once but twice to allow four MPs to give a total of 70 lakhs.
However, Chawla had clarified that no financial transactions had been carried out between his trust and politicians.
Gopalaswami himself will retire as CEC on April 20 and Chawla is to succeed him.
The election commission consists of a Chief Election Commissioner and he is assisted by two Deputy Commissioners.
Constitutionally the Chief Election Commisioner can be removed only by an impeachment in the parliament by two third majority voting for the removal. However the two Deputy Commissioners assisting him, though have equal voting right within the commission, do not have such safeguard and they can be removed at the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
The new question is: Is the government bound by the recommendation of the CEC? Perhaps the Supreme Court might get into the picture if the UPA govt decides to refuse the recommendation.
With the impending general elections, this questions assumes urgency.
But then I suppose the Govt might remove Chawla and give him an Ambassadorâs job and appoint another crook in his place.
Long live corruption India!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->