CEC's Action

CEC's Action

The Chief Election Commissioner's (CEC) recommendation to the President to remove the Election Commissioner Mr Navin Chawla has evoked mixed responses from all shades of public opinion. Prominent luminaries have taken diametrically opposite views and they have their own well crafted arguments to support their points. It is a shocking constitutional outreach and the CEC has no powers to recommend action against a sitting EC according to some experts The action is neither constitutional nor fair as the ground on which the recommendations were given are on shaky premise. They find fault with the timing of the operation. Some concede that the CEC may have the power to recommend removal of an EC under Article 324(5), but the power cannot be used mechanically. Equally eloquent is the argument placed by others who attribute political bias of the EC and they go on with the vehement assertion that the CEC's recommendation to the President is 'binding' on th government. Some argue that that the past actions and preferences of the EC are not conducive for fair conduct of elections and democratic process. The readers are caught in a quagmire.But people are certain that such divisions damage constitutional institutuions, more so, hot on the heels of ensuing general elections.


A.R.K.Pillai
Feb 2-09