Chawla's continuance in EC challenged in SC

NEW DELHI: Navin Chawla's continuance as Election Commissioner has been challenged in the Supreme Court which on Wednesday decided to hear a petition seeking a direction for implementation of recommendations of Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy for his removal.

The petition filed by the United Communist Party of India (UCPI), a registered political party, was mentioned before a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan which decided to hear it on March 20.

The petition, which was mentioned by advocate Sugriv Dubey, said the allegations made by the CEC in his recommendations to the President should be examined and verified by the apex court as otherwiswe it would erode the impartiallity of the Election Commissioners.

The UCPI said the CEC has listed several instances of alleged wrong doings by Chawla in his 90-page recommendations to the President for sacking him which also included leaking of election dates and showing partiallity to a political party.

It said elevating Chawla as CEC on retirement of Gopalaswamy on April 20 when the country is ready for Lok Sabha elections would be unconstitutional unless the allegations against him are verified.