The Hindu : Front Page : Clean chit given to Navin Chawla

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 08, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Clean chit given to Navin Chawla

J. Venkatesan

Allegations of `misconduct' do not pertain to his tenure as Election Commissioner: Attorney-General As the allegations pertained to Mr. Chawla's functions as a bureaucrat, the question of disqualification does not arise

NEW DELHI: Attorney-General Milon K. Banerjee is understood to have given a clean chit to Navin Chawla, saying he has not committed any "misconduct" as Election Commissioner warranting his disqualification or removal.

In his opinion sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr. Banerjee was reported to have said whatever allegations of "misconduct" pertained to the period Mr. Chawla was a bureaucrat and not during his current tenure as Election Commissioner.

The constitutional provision empowering the Chief Election Commissioner to recommend the removal of one of the Commissioners would arise only in the event of proven "misconduct" as Election Commissioner. In this case, as all the allegations against Mr. Chawla pertained to his functions as a bureaucrat, the question of his disqualification did not arise, the AG was reported to have said.

The Prime Minister sought the AG's opinion after President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam forwarded to him a memorandum signed by 205 MPs of the National Democratic Alliance demanding the removal of Mr. Chawla. The Opposition MPs contended that trusts he and his family were associated with had received funds from Congress MPs from their local area development scheme. They urged the President to refer the matter to the Chief Election Commissioner, who under the Constitution could recommend the removal of an Election Commissioner.

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