PM non-committal on EC Navin Chawla's removal

PM Manmohan Singh was non-committal on the NDA petition demanding removal of EC Navin Chawla.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday remained non-committal on the NDA petition demanding removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla.

HT Image

"I have just got it. I have to think about it," he told newspersons when asked to comment on the action of the government on the petition referred to him by President APJ Abdul Kalam.

Asked why the President referred the petition to him instead of to the Chief Election Commissioner, Singh said, "The President has sent it to me. I have just got it".

The NDA has demanded the removal of Chawla, who has been accused of having links with the Congress. In the memorandum, the NDA contended that Chawla's continuation as Election Commissioner would put a question mark on the credibility of the Election Commission in the upcoming elections to five state assemblies.